DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN ROUTE. 



19 



he should go to the village of South Platte, 29 miles from Denver, 

 but should he wish to see all its more rugged parts he should go as 

 far as Estabrook, 52 miles distant. Many persons go to resorts far- 

 ther up the canyon, even as far as Grant (66 miles), but this upper 

 part of the canyon is not so rugged — it lacks the features that give 

 to the lower part its peculiar charm. Those who go to the upper 

 part do so on account of the fishing, which is reported to be un- 

 usually good. 



On leaving the Union Station in Denver, the railway crosses South 

 Platte River and runs up on the west side of the stream to the moun- 

 tain front. At Sheridan Jvmction a branch line turns to the west 

 (right) to Morrison, which is in the same valley as that in which 

 Golden is situated. A mile up this line and on the main terrace that 

 borders the river valley is Fort Logan, the largest military post in 



g|^^^^ie^y;;> 



Figure 5. — Dakota hogback south of South Platte River, looking south. Note the east- 

 ward dip of the sandstone forming the hogback and also that of the red sandstone 

 nearer the mountains. Settling reservoir of Denver waterworks in the middle 

 distance. 



Colorado. The train passes some fine country places and goes through 

 large areas of irrigated lands in a high state of cultivation. 



At a. siding called Willard, 17 miles from Denver, the traveler 

 may see on his right a sharp-crested ridge, which is formed by the 

 upturned edge of the Dakota sandstone, the same rock that forms 

 the sharp hogback at Plainview, on the " Moffat road." At first this 

 ridge seems to stretch along the entire mountain front, and from the 

 river bottom it appears almost as large as the mountains themselves, 

 but on nearer approach it dwindles into comparative insignificance. 

 The railway runs nearly parallel with this ridge for some distance, 

 and then in following the river A^alley it turns more toward the west 

 and cuts through it directly toward the mountains. The Dakota hog- 

 back on the south side of the river, as well as the outcrop of lower 

 red sandstones, is shown in figure 5, 



