John Colter (c.1774 – May 7, 1812 or November 22, 1813) was a member of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806). Though party to one of the more famous expeditions in history, Colter is best remembered for explorations he made during the winter of 1807–1808, when he became the first known person of
European descent to enter the region now known as
Yellowstone National Park, and to see the
Teton Mountain Range. Colter spent months alone in the
wilderness, and is widely considered to be the first
mountain man.