Vore Buffalo Jump, Archaeological site in Crook County, Wyoming.
Vore Buffalo Jump is an archaeological site in Crook County featuring a natural sinkhole roughly 200 feet across and 40 feet deep, formed by erosion of the gypsum layer below the surface. This depression served as a natural trap where hunters could direct buffalo herds to their advantage over many centuries.
Native peoples used this location between 1300 and 1700 AD as a hunting ground for buffalo herds. The centuries-long use of the site demonstrates how effective and reliable this method remained across generations.
For Plains tribes, this location held deep significance as a hunting ground passed down through generations, with their practices visible in the bone layers left behind. Visitors standing near the sinkhole can sense how these hunter-gatherers engineered the landscape itself.
The site operates through a foundation-managed interpretive center where visitors can learn about the history through displays and educational materials. Wear sturdy footwear since the ground is uneven and the site sits in an open area with limited shade.
Scientists estimate that roughly 95 percent of the site remains unexcavated beneath the ground, potentially containing up to 20,000 more buffalo skeletons. This makes it extraordinarily valuable for future archaeological study.
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