Human Activity

Timeline of Human Activity on the Uncompahgre Plateau

9000-7000 BC Paleo-Indian occupation.
5500 BC– 500 AD Archaic Indian occupation period.
1200 AD– 1881 Ute Indian (Yutas) occupation. Utes used the Plateau for hunting and the river bottoms for winter camp sites.
1680’s– Introduction of horses on Plateau.
Late 1600’s– 1720’s Utes hired as slavers by New Mexico Spanish, trading buckskins, hides, dried meat and slaves for horses, mules, firearms and iron products.
1750 – Spanish and Indian Treaty, led to first direct European-Aboriginal contact on the Uncompahgre Plateau.
1761-1765 – Don Juan Rivera crossed Plateau possibly three times.
1776– Dominguez and Escalante Expedition. First ‘recorded’ trade between Indian and European in Western Colorado. Utes called the Uncompahgre River “Anacapagri”.
Early 1800’s– European trappers and traders entered area.
1828– Ft. Uncompahgre Trading Post established by Antoine Robidoux just north of Uncompahgre/Gunnison Rivers confluence.
After 1848– Utes moved from one reservation to another.
1869– Uncompahgre Tribe described the Colorado Utes as a “whole” by Colorado Ute Reservation Indian Agent.
1870’s– Gold and silver mining in the San Juans.
1880– Ft. Crawford established near Colona for final movement of the Utes.
1881– Dave Wood Road built to haul food and supplies to ranchers and miners and to haul ore from Telluride and surrounding area.
1881 – Ute Indians removed from the Uncompahgre Valley to Utah by the U.S. Calvary under authority of the U.S. Congress to make way for settlement by whites.
1880’s– Lumbermen, ranchers and freighters established trails and roads throughout the Plateau. Many of the roads are believed to have followed Indian trails.
1881– Introduction of cattle from Gunnison to the Plateau by George and Bob Roberts.
1882– Town of Montrose incorporated.
1882– Railroad arrives in Montrose.
1880’s– Logging begins with some of the first sawmills built on the south end of the Plateau.
Early 1900’s– elk, grizzly bear, and wolf extirpated; deer numbers low.
1905– Uncompahgre Plateau added to the National Forest Reserve System. Livestock grazing prior to this on a first come, first serve basis.
1906– 23,803 head of cattle and horses were permitted on National Forest. Early allotments controlled by large herd owners until 1930’s.
1909– Opening of the Gunnison Tunnel bringing additional irrigation water to the Uncompahgre Valley making way for extensive agricultural expansion.
1915– Sheep grazing allowed on upper Plateau. Heavy trespassing of livestock until 1936. Civilian Conservation Corps established on the Plateau, working on roads, trails and insect control.
1934– Taylor Grazing Act, regulated livestock grazing on public lands.
1930’s– 1970’s Uranium and Vanadium mining on the west side of the Plateau.
1930’s– 1970’s Vegetation and land treatments to improve grazing including contouring, chaining, spraying and seeding with exotics.
1970’s– Skiing and recreation in the Telluride area creates a boom for growth and subdivision growth and development occurs on the south end of the Plateau.
1970’s– Ranching and farming decline as lands are bought for development.
1980’s Recreation expansion on the Plateau, ATV’s, mountain bikes, hiking, etc as well as more home development on private in-holdings.
2000 The initiation of the Uncompahgre Plateau Project (UP).


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			Timeline of Human Activity on the Uncompahgre Plateau 9000-7000 BC Paleo-Indian occupation. 5500 BC– 500 AD Archaic Indian occupation period. 1200 AD– 1881 Ute Indian (Yutas) occupation. Utes used the Plateau for hunting and the river bottoms for winter camp sites. 1680’s– Introduction of horses on Plateau. Late 1600’s– 1720’s Utes hired as slavers by New Mexico Spanish, trading buckskins, hides, dried meat and slaves for horses, mules, firearms and iron products. 1750 – Spanish and Indian Treaty, led to first direct European-Aboriginal contact on the Uncompahgre Plateau. 1761-1765 – Don Juan Rivera crossed Plateau possibly three times. 1776– Dominguez and Escalante Expedition. First ‘recorded’ trade between Indian and European in Western Colorado. Utes called the Uncompahgre River “Anacapagri”. Early 1800’s– European trappers and traders entered area. 1828– Ft. Uncompahgre Trading Post established by Antoine Robidoux just north of Uncompahgre/Gunnison Rivers confluence. After 1848– Utes moved from one reservation to another. 1869– Uncompahgre Tribe described the Colorado Utes as a “whole” by Colorado Ute Reservation Indian Agent. 1870’s– Gold and silver mining in the San Juans. 1880– Ft. Crawford established near Colona for final movement of the Utes. 1881– Dave Wood Road built to haul food and supplies to ranchers and miners and to haul ore from Telluride and surrounding area. 1881 – Ute Indians removed from the Uncompahgre Valley to Utah by the U.S. Calvary under authority of the U.S. Congress to make way for settlement by whites. 1880’s– Lumbermen, ranchers and freighters established trails and roads throughout the Plateau. Many of the roads are believed to have followed Indian trails. 1881– Introduction of cattle from Gunnison to the Plateau by George and Bob Roberts. 1882– Town of Montrose incorporated. 1882– Railroad arrives in Montrose. 1880’s– Logging begins with some of the first sawmills built on the south end of the Plateau. Early 1900’s– elk, grizzly bear, and wolf extirpated; deer numbers low. 1905– Uncompahgre Plateau added to the National Forest Reserve System. Livestock grazing prior to this on a first come, first serve basis. 1906– 23,803 head of cattle and horses were permitted on National Forest. Early allotments controlled by large herd owners until 1930’s. 1909– Opening of the Gunnison Tunnel bringing additional irrigation water to the Uncompahgre Valley making way for extensive agricultural expansion. 1915– Sheep grazing allowed on upper Plateau. Heavy trespassing of livestock until 1936. Civilian Conservation Corps established on the Plateau, working on roads, trails and insect control. 1934– Taylor Grazing Act, regulated livestock grazing on public lands. 1930’s– 1970’s Uranium and Vanadium mining on the west side of the Plateau. 1930’s– 1970’s Vegetation and land treatments to improve grazing including contouring, chaining, spraying and seeding with exotics. 1970’s– Skiing and recreation in the Telluride area creates a boom for growth and subdivision growth and development occurs on the south end of the Plateau. 1970’s– Ranching and farming decline as lands are bought for development. 1980’s Recreation expansion on the Plateau, ATV’s, mountain bikes, hiking, etc as well as more home development on private in-holdings. 2000 The initiation of the Uncompahgre Plateau Project (UP).