Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site’s story begins with the American Indians.

The Utes have no migration story; their oral tradition says that Colorado is their homeland and they have always been here. Archeological evidence within Garden of the Gods shows human habitation for more than 5,000 years.

After acquiring horses from the Spanish around 1630, the Utes became skilled horsemen. Camp Creek Valley, which today includes Rock Ledge Ranch, provided a seasonal base camp with abundant water and diverse plant life.

In the mid-19th century, gold discoveries and further westward expansion and settlement brought the U.S. government into conflict with the Ute. As a result, the Ute people were removed from this area to reservations in southwestern Colorado and Utah in the 1870s.

At the American Indian Interpretive Area, we interpret the period between 1775-1835. These were good years for the Ute; they had horses with which to travel and hunt, and little competition for the use of their land. As a result of the abundant natural resources in Colorado and the extensive trade networks that they developed, the American Indian peoples of this area could obtain a wide variety of foods, hides, building materials and manufactured goods. They used these resources to support their families and to honor their cultural traditions.

Although forty-nine Native American tribes have ties to Colorado, we primarily tell the Ute story. Today many American Indians live, work, and go to school in the Pikes Peak Region.