The
Sauk Trail began as a
Native American trail running through
Illinois,
Indiana and
Michigan in the United States. From west to east, the trail ran from
Rock Island on the
Mississippi River to the
Illinois River near modern
Peru then along the north bank of that river to
Joliet, and on to
Valparaiso, Indiana. Then it ran northeasterly to
La Porte and into southern
Michigan running through
Niles,
Three Rivers,
Ypsilanti, and ending at the
Detroit River near
Detroit. There is a suggestion that sections of the trail followed the southern boundary between the dense forest and the mixed grassland regions. The presence of a
mastodon trailway along the same path indicates that the Native Americans may have been using a long established game trail.
Henry Schoolcraft, at present-day
Michigan City, Indiana, in 1820, describes the trail, as a "plain horse path, which is considerably traveled by traders, hunters, and others..." and said that a stranger could not follow it without the services of a guide because of the numerous side trails. The Sauk Trail intersected many important trails and early roads including the trails to
Vincennes, to
Green Bay, to
Fort Wayne and to
Little Traverse Bay.