The first of three main trails, known as the Bald Knob Trail, left the Columbia River just above the mouth of the Methow River and bore off in a northwesterly direction to what became known as Cheval Creek, up over Bald Knob Mountain, down Texas Creek to within about three or four miles of its mouth; there leaving the creek to the south it climbed over a system of low hills and finally reached the river about three miles below the mouth of Beaver Creek. This was the trail by which myself and a party reached the Methow Valley early in the fall of 1888. The second trail followed the general course of the Methow River. While on this trail there was not so much climbing but it was longer, with difficult places to pass over. The third trail left the Okanogan River at the Chiliwist Creek following the general course of the creek up to what became known as Mason Flat, then up over Chiliwist Mountain, down to Benson Creek; thence down the creek, finally reaching the Methow about two miles below Beaver Creek.

It was over a portion of this trail that the first wagons to reach the Methow Valley made their way. There was another trail entering the valley from higher up the Okanogan River by the way of Loop and Frazer Creeks. This trail did not see the extensive use as did the other three mentioned. Entering the valley by either of these trails, especially the late spring or early summer, the traveler was thrilled by the luxurious growth of "bunch grass" that greeted his sight on every side. This grass made the valley famous because of the prime beef it produced and sent to surrounding markets during the first quarter of a century of its development.

Fulton was born in Boise, Idaho in 1865 and lived in the Ellensburg area before exploring and settling in the Methow Valley in the Bear Creek area in 1888. He wrote this history in 1940 at the age of 75.