Historic Cimarron

Cimarron, Colorado, is located 20 miles east of Montrose on U.S. Highway 50. Today it is a small, quiet community providing visitor access to Morrow Point Dam, fishing along Cimarron Creek, and boating on Crystal Reservoir. It can also provide a glimpse of the history in this area.

Historic image of a small town with numerous buildings, small water tower, and railroad tracks. A large mesas is behind the town. — View of Cimarron (Montrose County), Colorado. c. 1883-1891
Courtesy of Denver Public Library Special Collections, WHJ-955

Early History

In 1853, explorer John W. Gunnison's party passed through the area, searching for a possible transcontinental railroad route. The explorers were discouraged by their demanding traverse of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River canyon to the east. The expedition traveled over Blue Mesa and eventually made their way west, crossing Cimarron Creek, and climbing over Cerro Summit. Captain Gunnison proclaimed that this rugged country was totally unsuitable for a railroad and these sentiments were echoed by later explorers. As valuable mineral deposits were discovered on Colorado's western slope, the need for better transportation routes was recognized. Otto Mears, a famous road builder known as the "Pathfinder of the San Juans," constructed the Lake Fork and Ouray Toll Road. A branch of this road ran from the confluence of Cimarron Creek and the Little Cimarron River to a local cattle outfit, Cline's Ranch. Captain W. M. Cline owned about 480 acres in the vicinity of present-day Cimarron. A friend of Chief Ouray of the Utes, Cline settled here in the 1870s, raising grain and cattle. Cline was joined in the livestock business by two other firms whose herd totaled approximately 5,400 head of cattle. The area eventually became popular for sheep-raising as well.

Historic image of a railroad and truss bridge running through a steep, narrow canyon. A river is flowing alongside the railroad. Conifer trees grow on the north facing slopes of the canyon. — View from above of the Cimarron River and Denver and Rio Grande Railroad narrow gauge tracks and trestle in a deep gorge in Montrose County, Colorado. 1886-1890
Courtesy of Denver Public Library Special Collections, WHJ-1531

Denver & Rio Grande Railroad

In the 1870s, General William Jackson Palmer and surveyors tried again to find a patch for the railroad. Palmer eagerly accepted the challenge of constructing a railroad through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, a feat that was previously considered impossible. The tracks of the Denver and Rio Grande (D&RG) started in Denver with a goal of running all the way to Salt Lake City. The tracks arrived in Cimarron after being laid out almost 15 miles (24 km) along the Gunnison River in Black Canyon. Irish and Italian immigrants provided much of the labor.

In August 1882, the first D&RG train rolled out of the canyon and into the construction camp at the end of the tracks near Cline's Ranch. During the survey for the railroad, workers discussed what to call the camp at the end of the railroad line. Some were reminded of the hills around Cimarron, New Mexico, and the camp was dubbed "Cimarron."

When the first train arrived, the passengers were greeted by a host of tents and a single log cabin. Cimarron was a small spot on the map. Cerro Summit, to the west, had a 4% grade, making it impossible for locomotives to clear the summit without assistance. Helper engines were brought in and stored in the town of Cimarron. This turned Cimarron into a real railroad town, complete with a roundhouse and station facilities.

The original purpose of this railroad was to provide a link for shipment of ore from the mines in the San Juan Mountains. Additionally, scenic excursions ran through Cimarron in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A subsidiary of the D&RG, the "Rio Grande Hotel Company", established the Black Canyon Hotel and Eating House in Cimarron. Railroad passengers came to eagerly anticipate the stop in this community known for its hospitality. Cimarron’s population fluctuated drastically during this time, ranging from 25 to 250.

Railroad exhibit with black train car, loading equipment, and wooden corrals. A concrete and wooden walkway is to the left of the exhibit area. — Outdoor exhibits at present-day Cimarron
NPS/Victoria Stauffenberg

Livestock Shipping Hub

As the mining boom declined, ranching took on greater significance in Cimarron. Both sheep and cattle were run in the open lands of the Cimarron Valley and surrounding hills. Cimarron became a major livestock shipping center, with corrals covering over 7,500 square feet (697 square meters) next to the railroad siding. Local ranchers would drive their stock to Cimarron and time their arrival to allow immediate loading of animals; there were no feeding facilities at the corrals here. Shipment of livestock was concentrated in the spring and fall. Animals were move either to market, usually Kansas City, or a winter range near Grand Junction or in Utah.

As technology quickly changed, the narrow gauge railroad became less used. Improved highways and large trucks gradually replaced the railroad, and the corrals and rail yards of Cimarron grew empty. Passenger service on the D&RG through Black Canyon ended in 1936. In 1949, the last scenic excursion train ran from Gunnison to Cimarron. Shortly after, the rails, ties, and corrals were removed. The depot, roundhouse, saloons, ice plant, and individual homes have also disappeared from the old Cimarron townsite.

Cimarron Today

The National Park Service maintains a campground and picnic area where the railroad town of Cimarron once existed. An outdoor exhibit with loading corrals and stock cars helps visitors understand the connection between the railroad, Cimarron’s ranching community, and Colorado’s western slope.