Santa Fe Trail
Picketwire Canyonlands, CO

The Picketwire Canyonlands region is a primitive area that has many interesting sites. Previous inhabitants of the area have left visible signs of their habitation. A dinosaur tracksite extends for 1/4 of a mile and consists of 1300 visible tracks. These tracks were left by two types of dinosaurs, the Allosaurus and Brontosaurs. They roamed the area millions of years ago, along a muddy shoreline of a large shallow lake.

Prehistoric cultures, which archaeologists believe consisted of nomadic people following migrating game, left rock art on some of the rock surfaces of the area. There has not been much research done on this area; thus little is known as regards to details about the culture or how old the rock art is.

Between 1871 and 1889, Mexican pioneers began establishing settlements in the area. Partial remains of the mission and cemetery are visible in the area. A few headstones can still be seen at the Delores Mission and Cemetery.

The Rourke Ranch, or Wineglass Ranch, was one of the most successful enterprises in southeast Colorado at the time it was sold in 1971. The original ranch, founded by Eugene Rourke, comprised 40 acres and was a cattle and horse ranch. This ranch survived for over a hundred years, and by the time it was sold it encompassed 52,000 acres.