Iron Riders Trail

Sponsored by Sheridan Community Land Trust

• Location: Wyoming
• Travel Type: Driving
• Tour Duration: 1 hour
• Language:

About This Tour
In June 1897, a column of 20 Black soldiers on bicycles rode into the town of Sheridan, Wyoming. These were the Iron Riders. They were undergoing one of history's epic tests of endurance, cycling on rough, unpaved roads from Fort Missoula, Montana, to Saint Louis, Missouri.

This momentous journey was part of “The Great Bicycle Experiment,” a series of U.S. military tests performed by the 25th Infantry Regiment to evaluate how effectively troops could travel via bicycle. At that time, troops moved primarily on foot or via horses. This was a test to see if bicycles could be a more efficient and effective form of military travel.

The Iron Riders earned their nickname from the heavy iron-framed bicycles they rode, but also from their iron will in accomplishing this 1,900-mile journey over 41 days and five states. On this tour, you’ll retrace a small portion of their route and experience the trip through the eyes of two people who witnessed it: Edward Boos, a journalist for the Daily Missoulian, and Lieutenant James Moss, the leader of the 25th Infantry Regiment.

During the tour, you’ll learn about:
·     The planning and logistics of the Great Bicycle Experiment
·     The challenges the Iron Riders faced, including bike repairs, injuries, illness, river fordings, rain, hail, and snow—and sometimes consequently unrideable muddy roads
·     The Sheridan area’s rich history, shaped by Native American cultures, exploration, and the development of the American West
·     The Johnson County Cattle War
·     Local and national effects of 19th-century racism and segregation
 
The Tour Route
This driving tour starts at the Sheridan Inn, in downtown Sheridan, Wyoming, then passes through the towns of Wyarno and Ucross, before ending in Clearmont, approximately 40 miles away. The road you’ll be traveling on primarily follows the Burlington and Missouri Railroad, which came to Sheridan in 1892. The route is virtually unchanged from how it would have looked when the Iron Riders rode it on their bicycles in 1897.
 
Tour Sponsor
This tour is brought to you by the Sheridan Community Land Trust, which works to preserve Sheridan County’s open spaces, healthy rivers and creeks, working ranches, wildlife habitat, and vibrant history, while expanding recreation opportunities to connect people with the places they love.

Find More Tours Near You
If you are interested in more audio tours in the Sheridan area, check out the WY Tour Sheridan, History on the Soldier Ridge Trail, Hemingway Highways – Sheridan, and Black Diamond Byway tours. To find more tours in Wyoming or wherever your travels take you, visit TravelStorys.com. (You can listen to most of TravelStorys tours both on-site and remotely!) Every place has a story.