DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN ROUTE. 71 
Footprints of dinosaurs have been found also in sandstone that 
was then the sandy shore of some lake or estuary. Plate XX XIII, 
A, shows some of these tracks that were recently: found in Arizona. 
Similar tracks were found years ago in the brown sandstone of the 
Connecticut Valley, and specimens may be seen in most museums. 
At first these three-toed tracks were thought to have been made by 
birds, but when the skeletons of the dinosaurs were found it was 
realized that the supposed bird tracks were made by reptiles. 
After crossing Oil Creek the traveler may obtain on the left a 
general view of the mountain front back of Canon City—the moun- 
tains through which the Arkansas has cut its wonderful canyon, the 
Royal Gorge. In this view the gorge itself can not be readily dis- 
tinguished, for it is so narrow and winding that from no point of 
view can it be seen as an open cut. The low gap that is most promi- 
nent from this point is the canyon of Grape Creek, which enters the 
Arkansas from the south (left) just above Canon City. After pass- 
ing through several miles of apple orchards the train arrives at the 
station of Canon City. 
Canon City is rightly named, for it stands at the mouth of the 
greatest canyon penetrated by any railroad. It is the seat of Fre- 
mont County, which was named in honor of the 
Canon City. “ Pathfinder,” Gen. John C. Frémont, who in re- 
th er 5,344 feet. turning from his second expedition in 1842 followed 
opulation 4,551. : 
Denver 160 miles. the Arkansas downstream from its headwaters 
until he emerged from the mountains at the place 
where Canon City now stands. The first recorded exploration of the 
canyon was that of Lieut. Pike, who camped with his little party 
near its eastern portal on December 5,-1806. They built a block- 
house of logs on the north side of the river, wandered about in the 
taountains to the north nearly a month, and on their return to their 
blockhouse nearly lost their lives in the Royal Gorge. The next visit 
of which there is a record was that of Dr. James and Capt. Bell, of 
the Long exploration party. On July 18, 1820, these men left their 
€amp at the mouth of Fountain Creek (Pueblo) and rode up the 
Arkansas to the foot of the mountains. The seven mineral springs 
near the mouth of the Royal Gorge were named Bell’s Springs in 
honor of Capt. Bell, who discovered them on that trip. After this 
Visit the canyon was probably seen by many hunters and trappers, 
for several trading posts were maintained on the river. During the 
“rush” of gold seekers in 1859 and 1860 a town sprang up near the 
mouth of the great canyon and was named Canon City. Like most 
of the towns of that time Canon City had a varied experience and 
was at times nearly deserted. By 1868 it had achieved some promi- 
hence, and the Territorial penitentiary was located here. The dis- 
