History of Ute Trail

Last Friday evening I spoke to the Sky Ranch Ute Trail staff about the history of Ute Trail Ranch and afterwards answered some questions. The following is from the handout that I gave to them:

History of Ute Trail Ranch
1883-2009

The Ute Indians, Westward Migration, and Surveying

Native Americans (Indians) were the earliest inhabitants of this area. They first came from Asia into the Northwestern part of North America sometime between 20,000 to 10,000 B.C. In 200 A.D. the Anasazi began to live in the Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona area and were here until 1300 A.D. when they left due to the lack of resources or invaders. Numerous tribes descended from the Anasazi including the Pueblo. The Ute Indians were most likely descendants of the Anasazi and the Utes are now the longest present day inhabitants of Colorado. Originally the Utes lived in small bands and would spend the warmer months in this area and during the cold months they would move to a lower elevation. When the Spanish explored into Colorado in the 1500s they introduced horses and by the 1630s the Utes had their own horses which allowed them much more mobility and hunting prowess. The Utes fought with the Navajo and other tribes and were competent warriors and horseman. The Westward Migration of the White Man led to the treaties which decreased the Utes lands and eventually the Utes being confined to reservations. The greatest Ute Chief was Ouray who was part Ute and part Apache.

The main reason white men and women came to this area was the discovery of silver and gold. Minerals, The Railroad, The U.S. Homestead Act and the encouragement of the U.S. Government brought settlers to the area.

Before 1836 the land which is now Ute Trail Ranch was in an area claimed by Mexico and Spain. From 1836 to 1845 Ute Trail Ranch was part of the Republic of Texas, then from 1845 to 1876 it was part of the Colorado Territory. In 1876 Colorado became a state.

Most of the land in Colorado is surveyed by the use of Townships and Sections. A Section is one square mile of land. There are thirty six (36) sections in a Township. Townships are measured by using the New Mexico Prime Meridian as a starting point. So a section is 640 acres, a quarter section is 160 acres (Harry Youmans original claim) and a quarter quarter section is 40 acres. A section is divided into a NW quarter (160 acres), NE quarter, SW quarter and SE quarter.

Original Homesteads: “Youmans Ranch” and “Benson Ranch”

In the early 1880s Harry Youmans moved from New York to the Powderhorn Valley-Lake Fork of the Gunnison River area. He moved to Ute Trail Ranch in 1883 and claimed 160 acres, a quarter section, under The Homestead Act which allowed individuals to receive a deed to land from the U.S. Government if they lived on the land and “homesteaded” it for a number of years, usually 5 to 7. Youmans owned the ranch from 1883 to 1903 when he sold it to Karl and Emma Benson.

The Bensons had emigrated from Sweden to the United States and had come to Lake City where he worked in the mines and she was a waitress at the mines. The Bensons married in 1903 and paid Harry Youmans $2500 for the 160 acre Youmans Ranch. The Bensons had six sons and owned the now “Benson Ranch” from 1903 to 1946. They expanded the ranch from 160 acres to 1200 acres under The Homestead Act. They built a lower homestead cabin which is across the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River on the second bench (plateau) and they built an upper homestead cabin in the eastern high country. These two cabin homesteads helped them obtain title to the 1200 acres. The Bensons operated a cattle ranch during these forty four (44) years and eventually had a herd of 500 cattle. They were a Christian family who raised their six (6) sons on ranch work. Karl Benson built the barn with his sons in 1919 and selected the “/ reverse F” brand still used today.

Hopkins, Bowers and Ute Trail Boys

In 1946 the Bensons sold the 1200 acre ranch to Alton (Hop) and Susan Hopkins and Dr. Malcom and Virginia Bowers of Dallas, Texas. The Bowers and the Hopkins were members of the same Sunday School class at Highland Park Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas and vacationed together to Lake City in 1944. They had such a good time they decided to try to buy the ranch and bring boys to the area to have the same experience their families had. The ranch became the Ute Trail Ranch and Ute Trail Boys Camp was started in 1946. Hopkins and Bowers built 3 cabins (still here today) and began a camp for boys which lasted 28 years. For the first thirteen (13) years they had no electricity so they had wood fires for cooking and for heat. They ran the ranch as a cattle ranch and brought in hunters in the fall. Most of the boys came from the Dallas area. In the 1960s the Lodge was destroyed by fire and Hop Hopkins and his family built the present lodge in about six (6) weeks. They added two (2) more cabins and a storage/store cabin. The camp stressed horseback riding, fishing, camping, rafting and other mountain activities. Hop Hopkins built the A Frame Lodge for the Bowers in the early 60s.

The Seay Family-The Early Years

In 1973, the Hopkins and Bowers sold the camp and ranch to Nancy and George Seay, of Dallas, Texas. The Seays continued the camp for six (6) years and then sold the camp to their uncle and aunt, Charlie and Sadie Seay. At this time the camp was discontinued and The Seay Family enjoyed the ranch with family and friends.

The Rock at Ute Trail Ranch

In 1993 Sadie and Charlie Seay sold the ranch back to Nancy and George Seay and their children, George and Pauline. They decided to bring a Christian camp to the ranch and in 1996 entered into a lease agreement with Presbyterians for Renewal Youth Ministry. PFRYM operated The Rock at Ute Trail Ranch for eight (8) years and specialized in one week backpacking trips for church youth groups. Groups came from over 200 churches and 30 states.

Sky Ranch Ute Trail

In 2005 The Seay Family entered into a new agreement with Sky Ranch at Ute Trail Inc. Sky Ranch Ute Trail now operates three (3) ministries, one for families, one for Quest/Sigma (youth leadership) and one for wilderness ministries (backpacking, kayaking and adventure trips).

PFR, Sky Ranch and The Seay Family have improved the property so there are now sixteen (16) additional cabins, a large pavilion, shower house, ropes course and recreational area with a pond. Additional cabins are planned for 2010. The current owners and operators desire that the camp serve to glorify God, edify others and evangelize and disciple youth and families to Jesus Christ.