Miles himself apparently believed the Idaho assurance would be honored, and he later expressed frustration when the government overrode the terms.

But the pattern, from the perspective of nimíipuu leaders with decades of experience watching American promises dissolve, was consistent.

The formal terms of agreements were one thing; what actually happened to the people after those agreements were signed was another.

White Bird had watched this pattern long enough to draw a clear conclusion.

The Nez Perce National Historic Trail

Today, the path that the nimíipuu traveled in 1877 — more than 1,170 miles across Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming — is designated as the Nez Perce National Historic Trail.

The trail connects dozens of sites that are managed by the National Park Service and Forest Service, including the White Bird Battlefield in Idaho, the Big Hole National Battlefield in Montana, and the Bear Paw Battlefield in Montana.