Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
John Colter
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Quizzes
Buzz Aldrin. Apollo 11. Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin Aldrin, photographed July 20, 1969, during the first manned mission to the Moon's surface. Reflected in Aldrin's faceplate is the Lunar Module and astronaut Neil Armstrong, who took the picture.
Exploration and Discovery
Quick Facts
Born:
c. 1775,, in or near Staunton, Va. [U.S.]
Died:
1813, [in present-day Missouri, U.S.]
See all related content
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

John Colter

American explorer
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

John Colter (born c. 1775, in or near Staunton, Va. [U.S.]—died 1813, [in present-day Missouri, U.S.]) was an American trapper-explorer, the first white man to have seen and described (1807) what is now Yellowstone National Park.

Colter was a member of Lewis and Clark’s company from 1803 to 1806. In 1807 he joined Manuel Lisa’s trapping party, and it was Lisa who sent him on a mission to the Crow and other Indian tribes that led Colter to travel alone to the Yellowstone area. In three expeditions to the Three Forks area (head of the Missouri River) in 1808–10, he narrowly escaped with his life in battles involving warring Indian tribes. After the third incident he retired to a farm on the Missouri.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.