NPS Many ranches were found along the Gunnison River, therefore attracting family and friends to visit for the fishing opportunities. Ranch owners eventually built cabins, and some became summer resorts. Most of the resorts were west of Gunnison and continued along the river towards Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Visitors came from all over to enjoy fishing, hunting, horseback riding, camping, and summer activities. Neversink Resort, Cooper’s Resort Ranch, Jointed Rod Resort, Fountain Place Resort, Eagle Rock Resort, and Wilderness were the farthest east, between present-day Neversink and the Highway 149 turnoff. The small towns of Iola, Cebolla, and Sapinero existed along the banks of the Gunnison River from the late 1800s to 1960s. They had grown from settlements along the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad into bustling spots for angler and hunting enthusiasts. These towns, along with ranches and recreational resorts, were lost during the building of Blue Mesa Dam and later filling of Blue Mesa Reservoir. An estimated 200-300 people were displaced by the project managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. Many of the stops along U.S. Highway 50 kept the names of the original businesses, towns, or landmarks. 
Stereograph by Underwood & Underwood 
Photo by Robert W. Richardson IolaIola was a small town founded in 1896. It had 10-15 homes and buildings, including a store, railroad depot, cattle loading pens, school, hotel, and lookout tower. The town was not on the electric grid until the mid-1940s, and ranches and resorts produced their own electricity through wind or gas-powered systems. The town served a widespread community that extended miles away. Nearby resorts and ranches visible from the town watchtower included Lady of the River Resort, Phil Reiss Resort, Columbine Ranch Resort, Sunnyside Ranch Resort, Stevens Ranch (near present-day Stevens Creek), Rippling River Ranch, Elkhorn Resort, and Mergelman/Blackstock Ranch.The town was abandoned in the early 1960s, and most structures were dismantled and burned. Iola Basin, the easternmost basin of Blue Mesa Reservoir, is named for the town. Iola Basin, Then and Now 
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Photo by George L. Beam CebollaCebolla Basin was home to various ranches and resorts, as well as homes. The area stretched from present-day East Elk Creek to Red Creek. A school was centrally located between the small ranch Hendersonville and Cebolla. Dry Creek Ranch was located near present-day Dry Gulch. East Elk Creek Ranch was at the mouth of the creek with the same name and owned by the Colorado Game and Fish Department.The town of Cebolla (the Spanish word for onion) was quite small, but well known for the Sportsmen’s Hotel. It was a renowned destination along the Gunnison River offering overnight accommodations, hunting, fishing, camping, carriage rentals, and medicinal hot springs access. President Herbert Hoover was even a guest in the summer of 1939. It later became known as the Moncrief River Ranch. 
Denver Public Library Special Collections, X-13528 SapineroSapinero was previously the last stop before the railroad headed through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The original town site (1882-1963) was northeast of the junction of the main branch and the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. It was the largest settlement of the three towns. The Sapinero Needles (present-day Dillon Pinnacles) were a prominent feature on the landscape and first photographed during an 1853 expedition to the area.The town was an important source of supplies for nearby mines and ranches. The Rainbow Hotel hosted guests during the early 1900s, while the Sapinero Hotel Resort ran from the late 1800s until 1961. Ranches near Sapinero included Frank Carpenter Ranch, LeValley Ranch, Black Canon Ranch, and Elizondo Ranch. During the construction of Blue Mesa Dam, the community was relocated upslope from Blue Mesa Reservoir to the east and south of U.S. Highway 50. A rock with petroglyphs from the Sapinero area now lives at the Elk Creek Visitor Center. 
Into Black CanyonFour bridges once stood at the confluence of the main branch and the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. Two railroad bridges were built in 1889 on the railroad spur along the Lake Fork. This branch went south from Sapinero and headed towards Lake City. This railroad spur transported minerals and ran from 1889 to 1933. The road to Curecanti's Gateview Campground is the former railbed. In 1915, the Rainbow Route bridge was built for automobiles. This road had an incredibly steep grade of 20 percent, more than the steep East Portal Road to the canyon bottom. In 1924, a metal High Bridge was built as an improved passage for vehicles. Beyond these bridges, the D&RGW continued into Black Canyon of the Gunnison. It crossed the river multiple times before exiting at Cimarron. After the railroad service ended in 1949 and the rails were removed, cars were able to drive the former railbeds until the flooding of the canyon by Morrow Point Reservoir. All bridges were eventually removed except for High Bridge. It was submerged after the construction of Blue Mesa Dam and is still deep under Blue Mesa Reservoir. Today, vehicles travel on U.S. Highway 50 and cross the canyon on Colorado Highway 92 over Blue Mesa Dam. TBD
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Last updated: April 15, 2025