Mountains
The Mountains Native Americans lived in the Rocky Mountains area that is now the states of Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and parts of Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
Land and Climate
To the east of this region are the Rocky Mountains. The Rocky Mountains have some of the highest mountains in the USA, the tallest being about 14,440 feet (2.7 miles) above sea level. Many rivers start in the mountains. As the snow melts, it runs down the mountains and forms large lakes at the bottom.
The weather is very harsh in this region. In the mountains it can be very cold and snowy. It is warm and dry in the summer.
The weather is very harsh in this region. In the mountains it can be very cold and snowy. It is warm and dry in the summer.
Shelter
Most of the Mountain Native Americans lived in wickiups. A wickiup was a dome-shaped house. The frame was made from wood. It was covered in grasses and brush. There was a central fire inside and a smoke hole in the roof. It had a dirt floor.
Food
Native Americans in this region ate fish, deer, elk, and bison. Crops did not grow well in this region, so they gathered wild plants and berries. Agave was a popular plant that they ate. They also dug for roots in the ground.
Transportation
Before the Europeans brought horses to North America, the Mountains Native Americans usually walked from place to place. Sometimes they would use dogs to help them carry large items. The dogs would pull a special sled called a travois behind them. When Native Americans got horses from the Europeans, they used the horses to carry their things instead of dogs. In the winter, the Native Americans in the Mountains region used snowshoes.