128 GUIDEBOOK OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. 
roon) formation. The canyon is in places rugged and picturesque, 
but generally it will be remembered for its brilliant coloring rather 
than for the configuration of its rocky walls. 
The valley below the canyon resembles the valley cut in the same 
rocks near Avon, but the hills here are lower than those about Avon 
and are cut more deeply by the tributary streams. The main valley, 
however, contains few striking scenic features, but it is interesting 
for its many fine farms and comfortable residences. : 
Near milepost 327 the band of bright-red rock on the higher hills 
across the river is very conspicuous. As shown on the map, it does 
not extend far to the west, for it loops around and connects with the 
exposure that was crossed a few miles above Wolcott. Toward the 
north the Triassic rocks extend for a long distance, but they are not 
visible from the train. The traveler may be able to trace the Dakota 
for some distance, but it eventually fades from sight, and then the 
most prominent rock is a dark basalt that caps the highest hill 6 or 
8 miles to the north. This rock is a remnant of what was once prob- 
ably a continuous sheet of lava that was poured out on a nearly level 
surface before the present canyons were cut, when the general sur- 
face of the country coincided with the tops of the present highest 
hills and plateaus. It should not be supposed, however, that the sur- 
face at that time was higher above sea level than it is to-day; indeed, 
it may have been not nearly so high, for it may have been raised 
to its present level since the lava was poured out. Other remnants of 
this sheet of lava may be seen farther down Eagle River. 
The thriving village of Eagle stands at the junction of the valleys 
of Brush Creek and Eagle River, in the midst of a rich agricultural 
‘district, which presents a pleasing contrast to the 
Eagle. bare rocks of the canyon walls and to the badlands 
kde 6506 feet. that the streams have produced in the bluffs border- 
Denver 329 miles, ig the main valley. Although the general altitude 
of the valley is rather high, good crops of hay, 
grain, and potatoes are raised, and much live stock finds pasturage 
on the surrounding uplands. The railroad crosses Eagle River just 
before reaching Eagle and remains on the south side of that stream as 
far as its junction with Colorado River. 
After leaving Eagle the traveler may obtain another glimpse of 
the Holy Cross Mountains on the left, up the broad valley of Brush 
Creek. For some distance below this point the bluffs of the river 
are so high that they shut out from view the country on the south 
(left), but farther west the bluffs recede from the river and grow 
lower and lower until the upland on the south is clearly visible. 
This upland now takes on the aspect of a broad, sloping plateat 
that culminates in the Holy Cross Mountains, which form a most 
