Ute Pass (Rampart Range) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ute Pass |
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 Ute Pass
Location in Colorado
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| Elevation | 9,165 ft (2,793 m) |
| Traversed by |  US 24 |
| Location | Teller County, Colorado United States |
| Range | Front Range |
| Coordinates | 38°56′30″N 105°09′25″W / 38.94167°N 105.15694°W |
| Topo map | USGS Divide |
The Ute Pass is a mountain pass located west of Colorado Springs, Colorado. It's a natural pathway through the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The highest point of the pass is near Divide, reaching about 9,165 feet (2,793 m) high. It's a very important route for travel and history in Colorado.
Contents
How Ute Pass Was Formed
About 75,000 years ago, huge sheets of ice called glaciers slowly moved down the sides of what is now Pikes Peak. As these glaciers moved, they carved out the land. At the same time, the ground itself was pushed upwards by the movement of tectonic plates deep inside the Earth.
This combination of moving glaciers and rising land created the steep canyons you see at the entrance of Ute Pass. From Manitou Springs for about 5 miles, the road winds through these steep, curvy canyons. Further up, near the top at Divide, the land becomes much flatter, forming gentle, U-shaped valleys.
Where is Ute Pass?
Ute Pass is found west of Colorado Springs. It lies just north of the famous Pikes Peak. Today, U.S. Highway 24 runs right through the pass.
As you travel through Ute Pass from west to east, you will go through several towns. These include Divide, Woodland Park, Green Mountain Falls, Chipita Park, and Cascade. All the water that collects in the mountains of Ute Pass flows into Fountain Creek.
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Ute Pass between Cascade and Woodland Park
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Ute Pass west of Woodland Park
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Ute Pass Summit sign
History of Ute Pass
The path through Ute Pass has been used for a very long time. It was first a trail for buffalo. These animals would travel from the warmer eastern plains to the rich, grassy meadows of South Park, Colorado during the summer. One explorer, Joel Palmer, wrote in 1847 that these buffalo paths were about 15 inches wide and 4 inches deep, worn smooth into the ground.
In the 1820s, Stephen Harriman Long also noted that the Ute Trail was used by both bison and Native Americans. For the Ute Native Americans, the pass was very important. They used it to carry salt from the "salt valley" of South Park to trade in places like Santa Fe and Taos. The Ute people called the pass "El Puerto del Sierra Almagre," which means "Doorway to the Red Earth Mountains."
From Trails to Roads and Rails
In the 1860s, the Ute Trail became a wagon road. This road helped transport goods and people to the Leadville mining camps. Later, in 1872, the old wagon road through Ute Pass started near a beautiful spot called Rainbow Falls.
In 1888, the Colorado Midland Railway built train tracks through Ute Pass. These tracks went all the way to Leadville and Aspen. Train service was later extended to Cripple Creek. However, when the mining industry slowed down, the train tracks were removed.
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Ute Falls in Ute Pass, by William Henry Jackson, 1873.
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Rainbow Falls, Ute Pass, by Helen Henderson, 1878.
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A new road was built in 1932 to make travel easier for cars. Today, Ute Pass is part of U.S. Highway 24, which is a four-lane highway. This new road partly covers up Rainbow Falls. As more people visited the area in the late 1800s, towns along Ute Pass built cabins and hotels for tourists. The pass is quite steep on its eastern side.
Plants and Animals
The climate in Ute Pass is quite dry. This means that many of the plants growing here are special. They have adapted to live with very little water.
Many different animals also call Ute Pass home. You might see wild turkeys, mule deer, and even mountain lions. Bighorn sheep live here too. During the summer and fall, it's common to spot black bears in the area.
Ute Pass History Park
The Ute Pass History Park is a great place to learn more about the area. It is located at 231 E. Henrietta Avenue in Woodland Park.
The park includes the Pikes Peak Museum, which has six buildings. These buildings tell the story of Ute Pass, the people who traveled through it, and the communities that grew up along the way. The museum center, four old cabins, and a jailhouse show what life was like in the past. You can learn about different jobs, how people traveled, and the history of the towns. The exhibits also share information about the Ute people and the early pioneers who settled here.
See also
- Colorado mountain passes
