Team North is starting their long canoe trip down the Green River today, launching from Weeping Rock campground, just below the Fontenelle Dam. They'll paddle down the river a few miles to Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, where they'll enjoy a presentation on refuge issues.

Seedskadee is named for the Shoshone word for the Green River, meaning "River of the Prairie Chicken," referring to the once-abundant sage grouse. Seedskadee NWR is still home to a large population of sage grouse, as well as other wildlife such as large herds of moose and mule deer, antelope, bobcats, and bald eagles. Beavers and porcupines gnaw the profuse willows along the riverbanks, and a substantial colony of prairie dogs provide entertainment for visitors and dinner for burrowing owls and badgers. Many more birds are visiting the refuge this time of year, including sandhill cranes, blue herons, and ibis, on their annual southern migrations.

The Journey, or Trek, involved two groups of travelers: one starting north from the Mexican border and the second headed south from the Canadian. Their route lay entirely on public lands, a feat that has never been accomplished before. The trek began on July 31, 2002 and ended two months later when the two teams met in Wasatch-Cache National Forest near Salt Lake City, Utah on September 27.

Read about the trek, check out journal entries and photos, and browse our educational exhibits.