Frontierland first appeared in Disneyland as one of five original themed lands. Conceived by Walt Disney, the land did not initially contain many attractions, but centered around open expanses of wilderness which could be traversed by guests via stagecoach, pack mules and walking trails. The Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland opened in 1961, consisting of a sedate train ride around various western landscape dioramas. The Mine Train closed in 1977 to make way for a new attraction; the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which opened in 1979.The area now known as Critter Country was first called the Indian Village and featured Native American shows and attractions. In 1972, it became Bear Country, a land themed to the forests of the Pacific Northwest. It was home to the new Country Bear Jamboree. Bear Country was renamed to Critter Country in 1988 in anticipation of Splash Mountain's January 1989 opening. In 2003, the Country Bear Jamboree was replaced with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Critter Country is also home to the Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes.
Critter Country is somewhat small when compared to Disneyland's larger lands. This westernmost area features a single pathway that wraps around the footprint of Splash Mountain, starting near the Haunted Mansion and terminating in a series of shops nestled against the Splash Mountain show building.
The land's long shoreline along the Rivers of America is considered a prime viewing location for the nighttime Fantasmic! show. The docks to both the Mark Twain Riverboat and the Sailing Ship Columbia, (a replica of American explorer Robert Gray's 18th century ship that circumnavigated the globe) are located here, and Tom Sawyer Island in the river's center is also considered a property of Frontierland
Frontierland borders Fantasyland (via the Big Thunder Trail), New Orleans Square and Adventureland, and connects to the Central Plaza through an iconic set of fort-style gates.