Wagon Wheel Gap
Rio Grande at Wagon Wheel Gap, between 1879 and 1894
Elevation	8,468 feet (2,581 m)
Location	Mineral County, Colorado
Coordinates	37°46′25″N 106°49′52″W / 37.77361°N 106.83111°W / 37.77361; -106.83111

Wagon Wheel Gap is a gap alongside the Rio Grande River, 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of Creede Mineral County, Colorado. ^[1] Wagon Wheel Gap, on the Silver Thread Scenic and Historic Byway ( Colorado State Highway 149), ^[2] is at 8,468 feet (2,581 m) in altitude. ^[1]

History

The hot springs at Wagon Wheel Gap were called "Little Medicine", as compared to the "Big Medicine" at Pagosa Springs, by the Ute people because of their healing properties. ^[2]

Settlers arrived at Wagon Wheel Gap by 1840 and farmed the land. ^[3] Miners entered the area to prospect for precious metals, which Utes like Colorow thought that their digging and taking the rocks made the gods angry. In 1860, a miner named Charles Baker had a confrontation with Colorow and he ran away from the Ute. ^[2] While crossing the Rio Grande at the gap, Baker lost a wagon wheel and wrecked his wagon. The wheel remained stuck in the mud. After that, the spot was known as Wagon Wheel Gap. ^{[1] [2]}

Wagon Wheel Gap was the first tollgate for travel between South Fork and Lake City. In the 1870s it was a stage stop and a supply town. ^[2]

There were not many settlers in the area until railroad magnate William Jackson Palmer transported and provided lodging for visitors to the hot springs beginning in 1883. ^[3] At the turn of the century, Palmer built a bath house. In the 1950s, the bath house was renamed 4UR Ranch. ^[3] The resort, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was purchased by the Leavell family in 1972. ^[3]

Fluorspar mines, near the gap, operated from 1911 to 1950. ^[3] Colorado Fuel & Iron sold the mine to the Leavell family in 1980. ^[3]

References