The Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Oconee, and many other tribes created Trail trees or trail marker trees. They were an ancient form of land and water navigational aid, as well as a marking system to denote areas of significant importance such as ceremonial sites. These trees were used by many, if not all, of the Native American tribes and later by fur traders and early pioneers. The Trail Marker Trees differed in their appearance and formation from tribe to tribe and from region to region. Examples of these trees have been found all across the United States and throughout Canada.