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 XXXIII, 

 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 t^e 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. Fremont, who in re- 



Eievation 5.344 feet, turning from his second expedition in 1842 followed 



Population 4,551. . . . i» • ■, ^ 



Denver 160 mUes. 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 

 mountains 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 

 camp 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 riA'er. 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- 

 nence, and the Territorial penitentiary was located here. The dis- 



