A Historic 40-Acre Colorado
Mountain Ranch in Evergreen

Long before Evergreen became the peaceful mountain community it is today, the surrounding foothills were part of Colorado's rugged Gold Rush frontier.

Beginning in the late 1850s, stagecoach travelers, miners, ranchers, and lumbermen passed through these valleys on their way to nearby mining districts such as Central City, Idaho Springs, and Georgetown. The region quickly became a vital corridor connecting Denver to the booming mining camps deeper in the Rocky Mountains.

As prospectors and wagon trains traveled these mountain routes, small settlements began to appear. Historic saloons, dance halls, and trading posts emerged to serve travelers looking for food, supplies, entertainment, and a place to rest before continuing their journey into the high country.

Evergreen itself grew as a quiet foothills outpost where ranchers and timber workers supported the mining economy. Remote mountain ranches throughout the area often served as staging grounds for cattle operations, logging camps, and supply stops for travelers.

Wagon Wheel Ranch appears to have begun as one of these early foothills ranch properties, part of the rugged landscape that supported Colorado's early settlers and mountain travelers. Decades later, the property took on a new life when it was transformed into "Our Lady of the Rockies," a beloved Catholic girls' summer camp that operated throughout the mid-20th century.

Local lore surrounding Wagon Wheel Ranch adds another layer of intrigue to the property's fascinating history.

Longtime residents of the Evergreen foothills have shared stories that the rugged valley and surrounding forests were once frequented by miners traveling through the region during Colorado's Gold Rush era.

According to stories passed down through the community, remote ranch properties in the area occasionally served as informal gathering places for prospectors, lumbermen, and travelers moving between Denver and the nearby mining districts.

Some local legends even suggest that the secluded landscape around Wagon Wheel Ranch may have provided temporary refuge for colorful characters of the Old West—outlaws, gamblers, and drifters who moved through Colorado's mountain frontier during the late 1800s.

While these stories remain part of local folklore rather than documented history, they reflect the rugged and adventurous spirit of Colorado's early frontier days.

Long before settlers, miners, and ranchers arrived in the Colorado foothills, the lands surrounding Evergreen were part of the seasonal travel routes used by Native American tribes of the Rocky Mountain region.

The Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne peoples moved through these foothills for generations, following game, gathering plants, and traveling between the high mountain valleys and the plains. The Evergreen area offered an ideal landscape for these seasonal journeys — pine forests, freshwater streams, open meadows, and sheltered valleys provided food, water, and protection from harsh weather.

Archaeological evidence throughout Jefferson County shows that Native Americans used the foothills for hunting camps, travel corridors, and seasonal encampments long before European settlers arrived. Today, the forests and valleys surrounding Wagon Wheel Ranch remain much as they were centuries ago — quiet, scenic, and rich with natural beauty.