APPENDIX S S. 1807 



Silverton trails. — By far tlie most important trail in the lower country lias been for 

 some time the trail connecting it with the mining country, known as the Animas 

 trail to Silverton. It passes up from the Park over the chit's and mountain-slopes arid 

 to the east of Engineer Peak, making- Animas City about 48 miles from Silverton. 

 Upon Lime Creek this trail divides, both branches reaching Silverton, the one to tin- 

 east descending along the canon sides of the river, that to the west following down 

 Bear and Mineral Creeks to the town. This will undoubtedly fall iuto disuse on 

 account of the opening of the Wightman toll-road in the canon of the river below, 

 which is not only a tine route but lacks also any of the excessively steep and long 

 grades encountered on the trail. 



From Silverton, trails lead into all the contiguous gulches and surrounding mining- 

 camps of which it is the center, and are therefore, in general, but local in their value. 

 Several, however, extend beyond the immediate vicinity, and are important in their 

 connections. 



From the west down the South Fork of the Mineral Creek comes the trail from the 

 Zan Miguel country, prospectively a very valuable region : one np the other fork of 

 the same creek leads to the north, connecting with mining-camps on the Upper Un- 

 compahgre waters. 



Ascending Cement Creek, a trail passes to the north and beyond to Hurricane Peak, 

 prospectively a valuable camp; around and beyond which mountain, via the Uncoin- 

 pahgre River, Ouray may be reached, about 24 miles from Silverton. 



Leaving the wagon-road in Cunningham Gulch, 2 miles from Howardsville, the Rio 

 Grande trail ascends the gulch, crossing the Continental Divide on an easy rolling 

 pass, about 500 feet lower than the wagon-road, again joining it on the Rio Grande 

 watershed. Although a few miles longer detour to the point of meeting, the Cunning- 

 ham Gulch trail is preferred by pack-trains on account of its easier gradients; that of 

 the road, for nearly three miles to the pass, in which it ascends the mountain-side, 

 averaging 880 feet per mile. From this an idea of the situation of Silverton may be 

 gathered — a green patch of laud closely shut in and isolated by huge encircling 

 mountains. 



The Ouray trail. — As previously mentioned under the heading of road communica- 

 tions down and up the Animas, wagon-roads are now in operation. From the farthest 

 point north on the latter, Mineral City, lying at the edge of timber-line and about 

 11,500 feet, a trail passes down Poughkeepsie Gulch and the Uncompaligre to Ouray. 

 This is about 7| miles long, and is said to be the most horrible and fearful trail in the 

 country. Old prospectors, "forty-niners," in the San Juan, have stated that it has 

 no rival in California or Nevada. A wagon-road projected over this route is estimated 

 to cost over $60,000, on account of the immense quantity of blasting necessitated. 



From a point of the Hensen Creek toll-road on the divide east of Mineral City a 

 trail passes down over the mountains east of Ouray to the Uncoinpahgne Park and 

 the agency down the river; distance not known. 



Lake City trails. — Fortunately for Lake City her trails are a thing of the past, and 

 are replaced by roads which in general follow the routes of the old-established trails. 



The building of toll-roads here is moreover indicative of permanent prosperity, and 

 furnishes indubitable proof of mineral wealth of her surroundings; without such 

 foundation they would not exist. 



From Lake San Cristobal (the lake of Saint Christojiher) a trail passes due southeast 

 across the Continental Divide, meeting the toll-road on Clear Creek, continuing on also 

 down the same stream to Galloway's and other settlements in Upper Antelope Park. 



The same toll-road, west of the divide, touches Cefoolla Creek, the same signifying 

 an onion. The same stream has been mapped as "White Earth Creek," but improperly, 

 being otherwise locally known. From this point a trail passes down Cebolla Creek 

 about 5 miles long and 1^ in width, a fine grazing section, lying one-third in the In- 

 dian reserve, and continues northeast to the Los Pinos Agency. 



The Bio Grande. — Descending the river, the principal trail worthy of note and not 

 already mentioned is that in the deep canon of the Rio Grande, from the foot of the 

 Weeminuclie Pass to the head of Antelope Park. It is a cut-off on the circuitous route 

 of the road, which, opposite the pass, ascends a hill fully a thousand feet high. The 

 trail passes largely over slopes and small benches above the river, whose edges are ver- 

 tical cliffs several hundred feet in height, and in part over masses of slide rock. The 

 distance referred to by wagon-route is about 12 miles, that by the trail is fully 2 miles 

 less. Ascending the Hot Springs Creek, at Wagon Wheel Gap a trail, we were informed, 

 exists. Whether or not it crosses the divide and descends to Pagosa, via the West Fork 

 of the San Juan, the two streams heading not far distant, Ave are not aware. Limited 

 time and heavy snows, with more important lines to lie examined, prevented a recon- 

 naissance of this portion of the divide. 



The trails and connections of the West and the South Forks of the Rio Grande have 

 been previously mentioned. 



On Embargo Creek, the largest tributary on the north side, below Wagon Wheel Gap, 

 a local trail ascending the stream is at present replaced by a wagon-road, and ranches 

 ,ine the way. 



