Are Any Original Stagecoach Paths Left in Colorado That You Can Travel on?

Rating:
Round Trip Altitude: 5.two miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Skill level:
Elevation: 8824 - 9260 anxiety
Cellphone: two-5 bars
Time: 2 hrs. xxx mins.
Trailhead: Palisade Rim
Fee: none
Attractions: Department of historic phase line, wildlife

The Stagecoach trail is role of the bodily route that was used by the stage line running betwixt Grand Junction and the Chiliad Valley. Remnants of the trail can be seen in various places on the west side of the Colorado River as y'all travel through DeBeque Coulee. At 1 time there was a phase house but past where Interstate 70 passes through the tunnel in DeBeque Canyon.

Admission to the trail has go increasingly more difficult over the years. When the interstate was built through this surface area in the early 1970'due south a pullout was left that provided parking for a dozen or more cars. In recent years, as the interstate became more congested, the highway department blocked the turnout and posted no parking signs. The closest legal parking is now at the Palisade Rim/Boat Launch trailhead across the river. Nosotros added a map that shows an alternate road that comes in from the direction of the Master Canyon trailhead. When time permits we volition create a new post for that route.

I found a well worn trail that skirted the barrier on the west side and rejoined the route that passed under the interstate. Immediately passed the kickoff cavalcade of the interstate bridge the trail passes up and over the railroad tracks. From here information technology continues due west forth the interstate where information technology shortly begins climbing up towards the original Stagecoach trail.

1 can just imagine what it must take been like to travel this section of the trail in a stagecoach. I picture myself out pushing. The elevation gain will exam your legs but there are plenty of places to stop and take a rest along the way.

The trail breaks through the ridge and levels out as information technology departs from the original stagecoach road and follows a commonly dry wash that meanders through Juniper and Pinyon copse every bit information technology rises towards the rim of the cliffs higher up Palisade.

After hiking near ane.3 miles from the get-go the trail reaches an area we accept ever referred to as 'Mud Flats'. Like other areas along the Bookcliffs rain water collects in these spots and if sufficient will unload with a spout of mud that pours out of the cliffs below and runs downhill to the interstate. Looking downward towards the interstate y'all can see many places where the highway section fights the battle of the mud by building dikes to hold it before it can get to the highway.

Rounding the corner from the mud flats is a cliff surface area where the trail is undercut by various caverns. As I hiked through hither the smell of fumes from coal that is burning beneath the surface was very strong. I've hiked through here in the winter months and the smoke is hands visible every bit it escapes through the surface of the basis.

At the 2 mile point at that place is a trail that branches off to the left heading towards the rim. A good bargain of people accept this cutoff which is a more direct route to the flagpole.  They really used to turn off a niggling sooner than this over a rocky area. This little branch of the trail is a section that I built quite some time ago. After traveling this way for several years I noticed one day that someone had erected a cairn to mark the spot. For this trip I'm going to continue on the main trail to a betoken that is ii.42 mile from the showtime. Here I will exit the principal trail that drops off to the west and head up a ridge to the south to the rim of the cliffs above the Palisade leave of the interstate.

Once I reached the ridge I followed it back to the eastward towards the flagpole. It has taken me one hour to reach the flagpole and my GPS was showing two.ix miles. The elevation hither is 5816 feet and information technology is all downhill going back.

I headed dorsum going due east down an area of white sandstone. I continued hiking downward for nigh half a mile until I once once more joined up with the main trail. At this signal I was three.5 miles into the hike.

When I arrived dorsum at the mud flats area I decided to take a dissimilar road back past skirting around the rocks along the rim towards a hidden canyon area.  This adds a little more diversity to the hike and I am still following an like shooting fish in a barrel to find trail.

Anyone care for some Mormon Tea?

Afterwards hiking down and around some more white sandstone I reached the subconscious valley area. Once here the trail traverses dorsum around the mountain to the due north and rejoins the main trail heading back downwards to the interstate.

I was back to the offset later hiking 5.2 miles round trip. I've hiked this trail and explored the expanse hundreds of times in the past. I used to bring a boy scout troop up here for a winter camp every year. This is an area that y'all tin can spread out in and hike the various canyons and hills. At times you tin see deer, wild horses, eagles, bobcats, coyotes, black bears, lizards and an occasional snake. I've watched bears come up out of the orchards, cross the interstate, and head up the hill.
Information technology's too bad they accept made it and so difficult to access the trail. I went through lxxx ounces of water and one protein bar. If y'all would like to hike where the stagecoach one time went and meet the neat views of the valley from the Bookcliffs so you will need to 'Take a hike'.

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