Skip to Main Content

Sheridan, Wyoming: Fetterman Massacre Monument

In 1866, Indians wiped out a whole US Army command -- a decade before they did it again at Little Big Horn.

Address:
Old Highway 87, Sheridan, WY
Directions:
I-90 Exit 44, north on State Highway 193, old Highway 87. Watch for signs, approximately one mile from exit. Then approximately 2 miles north from turn.
Admission:
Free.
Save to My Sights

Visitor Tips and News About Fetterman Massacre Monument

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Fetterman Massacre Monument.

Fetterman Massacre Monument

The walking trail is a mile long, and signs warn of rattlers. Not as well maintained or documented as the nearby Battle of Little Bighorn site, but still worth visiting.

[Harmon, 07/15/2023]

Fetterman Massacre monument.

Fetterman Massacre Monument

The Fetterman Massacre monument honors the battlefield dead of December 21, 1866, when Indians wiped out a whole US Army command. This was a time of turmoil in the history of the west. This event happened approximately 10 years before the Little Big Horn (Custer's Last Stand), [a larger, more infamous massacre.]

Three miles from Fort Phil Kearny, a combined force of over 1,000 Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors staged an ambush of Captain William J. Fetterman and his 80 troops. They were lured over Lodge Trail Ridge -- by a young warrior named Crazy Horse and a small band of Indian warriors -- into the trap. The entire command of 18th US Infantry and 2nd US Cavalry was killed "by an overwhelming force of Sioux, under the command of Red Cloud," according to the monument plaque.

There are many other plaques and a walking trail through this area.

[Steve Lowman, 07/19/2010]

Nearby Offbeat Places

Swimming Pool SharkSwimming Pool Shark, Sheridan, WY - 16 mi.
Cubist BuffaloCubist Buffalo, Buffalo, WY - 17 mi.
World's Largest Outdoor Swimming PoolWorld's Largest Outdoor Swimming Pool, Buffalo, WY - 17 mi.
In the region:
Custer's Last Stand: Little Big Horn, Crow Agency, MT - 75 mi.

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Create and Save Your Own Crazy Road Trip! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Wyoming Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

Easter Island Moai in America (Mar 25-31, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings

Favorite Quirky City Sights