Freight was unloaded at Cow Island when water dropped so low that steamboats could not traverse the upper river to Fort Benton. For 130 miles, the Cow Island Trail wound along the southern foothills of the Bear's Paw to the junction at Big Sandy, then southwest into Fort Benton. By summer in low-water years, freight destined for the gold fields and Canada was piled high where Cow Creek joins the Missouri. In 1877, during his famous retreat across Montana, Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce crossed the Missouri at Cow Island. They helped themselves to some freight at the landing and attacked a wagon train in the hills before meeting their destiny at Snake Creek south of Chinook in the Bear's Paw. There Chief Joseph uttered the famous words, "... from where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever," then passed his rifle in surrender to General Howard and Colonel Miles.