item thumbnail for Sign marking the Eagan Point trail on the south side of Big Creek, leading to Soldier Bar Airstrip and Eagan Point
item thumbnail for Looking east on the Big Creek trail, near the crossing to Soldier Bar airstrip
Title:
Sign marking the Eagan Point trail on the south side of Big Creek, leading to Soldier Bar Airstrip and Eagan Point
Creator:
Creator Unknown
Date:
1972
Source:
Payette National Forest Heritage Program, Payette National Forest
Original Filename:
S - 3 Eagan Point Trail Sign Big Creek Payette NF 1972.tif
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Title:
Looking east on the Big Creek trail, near the crossing to Soldier Bar airstrip
Creator:
Micaela Petrini
Date:
2019-06-05
Original Filename:
DSC_0715.JPG
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Looking east on the Big Creek trail, near the crossing to Soldier Bar airstrip - 1972 and 2019

Though there is no longer a Forest Service sign pointing out Soldier Bar and Eagan Point, the crossing, which goes across Big Creek and leads to a steep trail, is still heavily used by backcountry recreationists. Soldier Bar is an airstrip situated about 300 meters above Big Creek and is open for public use. At the top stands a large marble monument dedicated to Harry Eagan, a soldier who died during the Sheepeater Campaign.

In 1879, a United States cavalry entered into the Big Creek drainage to forcefully remove the Tukudeka, or Sheepeater Indians. This event, known as the Sheepeater Campaign, was sparked by the death of five Chinese miners at Oro Grande. The Sheepeater Indians were accused without evidence of these murders. The cavalrymen, at odds with the rugged and steep terrain, struggled to succeed in their mission. Harry Eagan was the only casualty on the US Cavalry side of the bitter chase. Five months after the campaign began, they captured fifty-one Tukudeka and forcefully relocated them to Fort Hall Reservation in southern Idaho.

Location: Soldier Bar Big Creek Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, ID

Latitude & Longitude: 45.1076, -114.8058

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