There are lots of private property signs along the road passing the mouth of that canyon. They can be confusing, but if you follow the directions in our navigation sidebar you will be on the county road which is open for public access. There will be several gates to open and close depending on the rancher's current operations.
Older maps show a route going up Diamond Canyon and getting to the top of the Book Cliffs without entering the Indian reservation; however, those roads no longer exist. A fire took out all the vegetation, then heavy floods took out the road. The BLM then closed the area to motorized traffic.
After Diamond Canyon, the route hugs the Book Cliffs, rising and falling with the terrain until it connects to Middle Canyon Road. For anyone using I-70, this road is accessed at the exit for Harley Dome.
The Middle Canyon Road is the only motorized access to the top of the Book Cliffs between Green River and Harley Dome. It is a major graded dirt road and is used frequently by heavy trucks servicing oil fields. It is twisty and narrow in places and has a steep grade at times but does not take long before it reaches the crest. It then connects to the Book Cliffs Ridge Road where scenic views are plentiful. The ridge road works it way across the top of the Book Cliffs, meandering in and out of heavily forested areas with lots of great camping spots.
Outlaw and Happy Jack playing...
Outlaw and Happy Jack playing lawmen and outlaws.
After turning off the Book Cliffs Ridge Road and heading north, we passed an intersection for the ghost town of Rainbow. There are no buildings left from the town. If you wander around the area, you will see evidence of digging and mining.
Beyond Rainbow, the road runs in and out of one wash after the other but continues to be graded. It eventually connects to a paved road going to Bonanza. Once in Bonanza, you will be almost due east of Ouray and still running parallel to the route used by the outlaws.
Outlaw and Happy Jack playing...
Outlaw and Happy Jack playing lawmen and outlaws.
After leaving Bonanza, the paved road goes to Vernal. We turned off before getting there and went to Jensen. Both cities have gas and supplies, but of course Vernal has a much better selection.
When the outlaws passed through on their way to Browns Hole, Vernal was a thriving community. The LDS Church had set it up as a town 15 years earlier. The outlaws may have witnessed some celebrations going on during their visit since Vernal was actually becoming incorporated during that time.
From Sego to Middle Canyon...
From Sego to Middle Canyon Road.
You will find everything you need in Vernal from supplies to Internet service. No doubt the outlaws stopped long enough to shake off some of the dust from the four-day ride that brought them to that point, but the one thing still first and foremost on their minds was all that money in Browns Hole. They figured it was time for a whooping big party, and that would not be possible until they had the money in their hands.
From Vernal, the shortest way into Browns Hole is by way of Crouse Canyon. It is the kind of canyon often used in movies for the entrance into an outlaw hideout. The walls are steep, the canyon is narrow, and a single gunman could hold off an entire posse with a good rifle from any number of vantage points.
From Sego to Middle Canyon...
From Sego to Middle Canyon Road.
The north end of Crouse Canyon opens up into the valley known as Browns Hole. The main road travels northeast and uses a swinging bridge to cross the Green River. Of course, the bridge was not there in 1897; the crossing most commonly used was the ferry at Jarvie's Outpost.
The base for outlaw operations in Browns Hole was located at Powder Springs. It was located on the far east side of the valley and just north of the Colorado border on the Wyoming side. The band of outlaws running that part of the country was known as the Powder Springs Gang. The leader of that gang was a man named Bender.
From Sego to Middle Canyon...
From Sego to Middle Canyon Road.
When Cassidy arrived at Powder Springs, he found Bender dying from a bad case of pneumonia. The celebration of his success with the Castle Gate holdup was somewhat dulled by his friend's demise. On the other hand, Castle Gate had secured Cassidy's position as a leader among outlaws. A few days later, Bender died and Cassidy became the leader of the Powder Springs Gang more by default than by vote. From that day on, the Powder Springs Gang was referred to by many as the Cassidy Gang from Powder Springs.