Colorado Buffalo Creek to Foxton, Then and Now, Trains and Canyon (20 Pics)

[sfarson]

Took a late afternoon ride this cold winter day. Snow showers off and on. A snowy November has given way to a relatively dry December thus far. This has enabled taking the bike on a scenic and historical ride while on my way to the grocery store deli for din-din :nod.

From Buffalo Creek to Foxton the "natural surface" road was built on the old Colorado & Southern narrow gauge train bed, basically from #2 to #3 on the map below. The road is along the North Fork of the South Platte, and includes portions of the Platte Canyon.
http://www.farson.com/images/foxton.jpg

Took pics from the saddle of the GS. With temps in the 20's didn't feel like getting off the bike :nod. After the pics and ride was complete I'm sitting here at the PC and wondering if there are any historical photos of the same area. Had I researched the pics beforehand I could have tried matching locations. Oh well, here's the ride and the history...

First, two images of the train in the canyon... 1930's:
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/trainhist1.jpg

http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/trainhist2.jpg

Before I turn onto the train bed road at Buffalo Creek, I take two pics showing evidence of the past. The old train bed in a pasture...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/1bcbed.jpg

and an old train bridge crossing the river...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/2bcbridge.jpg

I turn left at Buffalo Creek and see immediately the old train depot. You know I just noticed, the stones of this structure look very similar to the stones from the train bridge above...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/3bcdepot.jpg

I found this 1925 image of Buffalo Creek. One can see the depot in the middle. BTW, the structure to the left (now a country Catholic church) and house to the right are still there. One can see the Cathedral Spires mountain to the far right...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/bchist.jpg

[sfarson]

Here I continue down the road. Cathedral Spires up ahead. North Fork of the South Platte to the right. Gold medal trout fishing by the way...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/4spires.jpg

Zooming in on the Spires...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/5spires.jpg

Now here is a cool image find, from famed western photographer William Henry Jackson... the Cathedral Spires 1889! Long time ago. Jackson would often put people in the picture to help with scale. Note the train bed we are now on.
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/cathedralhist.jpg

The train would often bring Denver visitors for wild flower viewing, staying at mountain resports, etc. One such place was Ferndale, with old large cabins on the river tucked in deep woods. During the summer it's very idyllic looking at the warm glow of lights in these rustic lodges, with travelers and renters today, much like almost 100 years ago. Here's the walk bridge over the river to the lodges. This bridge was rebuilt eight years ago after a forest fire induced flash flood wiped out all the bridges along the river. Here's a link to the story... http://cwcb.state.co.us/flood_watch/buffalo.html
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/6ferndale.jpg

Found this 1910 image of the Ferndale bridge...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/ferndalebridgehist.jpg

One of the lodge cabins today...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/7ferndale.jpg

Inside one of the cabins 1910. Kinda interesting to see what the inside looked like almost 100 years ago. I would enjoy this for a peaceful stay...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/ferndaleinsidehist.jpg

How about a 1910 pic of some of the visitors having some R&R in Ferndale!
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/ferndalereshist.jpg

Many boulders have tumbled into the river from above over the years. But you know, after looking at the Jackson pic above, I wonder how many were lodged there from the train track construction?
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/8boulders.jpg

Here's one of several places along the river with no access to the home, after the walk bridges were blasted out by the Buffalo Creek flash flood of July '96. My guess is they wade the river to get across? Brrrrrrr. Even in summer.
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/9nobridge.jpg

OK, we're at the old townsite of Foxton. Essentially a ghost town today. There might be a resident or two on a weekend in the summer. Maybe. But that's about it. Found this nice image from 1929, looking down the tracks at the town.
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/foxtonhist.jpg

And I came kinda close to having an image in the vicinity of the 1929 one...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/10foxton.jpg

Here's the post office circa 1950's...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/foxtonpohist.jpg

And here it is today. Not would I say is much of a going concern...
http://www.farson.com/gsplatte/11foxton.jpg

Following this I rode through some ice sections in the shade to the grocery store deli and brought some piping hot chinese food home for din. Stuffed it into the tank bag with the camera. Leaving the store the snow was coming down hard and I got nervous as I rode through it for several miles in the dark. Fortunately, it was just a squall and things cleared the remaining 20 miles home. Here's to history, memories, and good riding!

BTW, while on the ride I was reminded I did the same thing this past summer. This time hammered by rain, and I put it to video somewhere here in this forum. OK, here it is... http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4151

[Cliffy777]

Great. Cool. Thanks.

[dancogan]

Thanks for another guided tour through some of Colorado. I just loved seeing your photos and some of the historical stuff you found of the same locations. It really gives a feel for how little some things have changed. Thanks! :clap :clap :clap

[YB in IN]

Great ride report again. I love to see pictures of Colorado.

[username]

this rocks. great job with the photos and the research.

[BMWBeauty]

Fabulous Ride Report and Awesome Photos.....Thanks For Sharing.... :thumb

[BradfordBenn]

Very cool :thumb

[sfarson]

Thanks everyone, It was fun putting it together. Especially after finding some historical photos of the area. How about the picture of the 1910 travelers up the canyon? I can look at that picture a long time. Same for the inside of a Ferndale cabin. And the big train engines. Seeing the same Foxton structures as were there 75 years ago except for a train track in front instead of a dirt road for the GS. Oh well, I ramble on. Good riding!

Steve

[hurricane]

Thanks for the post with the Colorado pix! :clap

Not sure I want to ride in the snow. Our rides are more like the posts by SuperMoto7 in Clearwater: palm trees and sunsets.

But keep those photos coming. Love to see other spots, especially different from home!

[LRider]

It's great to see then and now!!! Thanks for the excellent report. :)

[riderR1150GSAdv]

Sweeeet Pics!! :thumb
Compared to Florida you live in a spectacular part of the US. I totally :clap enjoyed riding around in CO over the past summer.

[msnden]

I really enjoyed the ride, Great pictures and history lesson, the now and then aspect is great. Den

[ian408]

Wow. What a great set of pictures!

Ian