Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Upper Sioux Agency is a somber place.  This area used to be known sa Yellow Medicine Agency.  It was created as part of the Treaty of Traverse Des Sioux of 1851.  The treaty moved the Dakota Indians from parts of Minnesota and Iowa to this area, which was a reservation about 20 miles wide and followed along the Minnesota River Valley from Big Stone Lake (northwest) to Fort Ridgely (southeast). The Yellow Medicine Agency was established to administer the terms of the treaty.  It was widely thought by the Dakota that the Agency was not following the terms of the treaty very fairly and in 1862, the Dakota began a conflict known as the Sioux Uprising.  In the summer of 1862, the Yellow Medicine Agency was destroyed during this conflict.  The park was built to preserve the historic agency, good and bad, and to provide recreational opportunities in the Minnesota River Valley.  While we were there we got up close and personal with several deer, including a 10 point buck, that decided to explore us.  The came very close to us while hiking and even came close to our van!  We toured around the old Agency building.  The campsite is very cool, too.  It boasts a remote campsite including two rentable Tee-Pees.  What a unique experience!  We are going to return to camp in the Tee-Pees!