Driving through Hatch Can...
Driving through Hatch Canyon.
We have never felt comfortable with camping restrictions, so we rarely camp anywhere that enforces them. On this trip, as always before, we camped on BLM lands west of Sunset Pass before crossing the boundary for GCNRA. It took us about five hours to get from Hanksville to this secluded campsite. Along the way, we enjoyed some of the most breathtaking scenery Utah has to offer. Getting down to the Dirty Devil River, crossing its bumper-deep currents, and then climbing back out of the canyon involved taking dozens of photos. Unfortunately, since this country is so panoramic, a camera just can't capture its beauty. The only way to truly enjoy it is to go there.
There is no bridge for the Dirty Devil River, and it can be extremely deep during or after a rainstorm. On this trip, we found it barely at bumper level. The riverbed is quite rocky, but a slow, steady pace is all that's required to drive across. Both banks are sandy and give way slightly under the vehicle's tires, but we managed not to spin our wheels during the crossing. From the river, it is a long drive to Sunset Pass. The road is rocky but still an easy trip shifted in 2-Hi. There are numerous photo opportunities along the way.
Crossing the Dirty Devil ...
Crossing the Dirty Devil River.
We were using the new Topo USA 6.0 software by DeLorme to map our trip. The software creates draw files that can be shared with anyone who has the same software. In other words, if you would like to see the exact route we used, you can purchase the draw file we created on our journey. You then start Topo USA 6.0 on your laptop and download the draw file you got from us. Once you connect a GPS to your laptop, the software will guide you along the exact same route we took. As you move, your position along that route is displayed by an arrow symbol. For more information, visit our website at www.outbackusa.com.
There is a campsite at the top of Sunset Pass. This campsite requires permits. We would not have stayed there even if we had a permit due to the strong winds that came up in the afternoon. Any time winds are blowing, they are at their strongest across the top of a pass.
There is an intersection on the east side of Sunset Pass. If an outlaw were going to Telluride, he would likely continue east to Spanish Bottom or go south to Dandy Crossing. We turned left and took the road going north from Sunset Pass. It followed along the base of Robbers Roost along the east wall then climbed that wall by way of the Flint Trail. The view is nothing short of spectacular. There are even points along this route where landmarks in Colorado can be seen on a clear day.
The Flint Trail can be exciting. Its surface is mostly dirt, which becomes mud when it's wet. The switchbacks climb 1,000 feet of vertical canyon wall, so there is plenty of opportunity to slip off the road for those of you who are looking for a good place to test your rollcage. Most of it is one lane wide; the only place to pass oncoming traffic is at the switchbacks. Although the climb is steep and rocky, it's not really difficult provided you choose the right course. Once you reach the top of the Flint, you are on Robbers Roost.
From the top of the Flint Trail, we drove past the Hans Flat ranger station on graded roads and to the intersection for the Ekker Ranch. We took the sandy road going west and soon arrived at Silver Spring.
According to several references, the cave at Silver Spring was the site of a gunfight between a posse from Green River and three outlaws known as Silver Tip, Indian Ed Newcomb, and Blue John. According to the story, the three outlaws were on the run and stopped at the cave to spend the night. No posse had ever dared to enter the Roost, so the outlaws didn't expect to find the law waiting for them the next morning. Not being familiar with the area, the posse made a critical mistake. If they had climbed the walls of the rocks above the cave, they could have easily picked off the outlaws. As it happens, once the outlaws realized they were under attack, one of them climbed the wall at the back of the cave and began firing down on the posse. That was more than the posse was prepared to deal with, and they hightailed it for home.
From Silver Spring, we continued down the canyon to the remains of the first known cabin to have been built on the Roost. It was owned by Jack Cottrell and his family. They were good friends with the Wild Bunch and according to Pearl Biddlecome (Baker), the author of a very good book entitled The Wild Bunch at Robbers Roost, the children played their gunfighter games a bit unconventionally: Whichever one was the lawman always lost.
There is nothing left of the Cottrell home today except for a chimney. The house was accidentally burned down by a cowboy trying to run the rats out.