WSP11553

• File Number: 7630.225
• Description: Wild and Scenic-Elk River
• State: CO
• Date: 7/1/1977
• Author: RF Somer
• Title: Elk WSR Study-Background Information-Historical and Prehistorical Resources on the Elk River-Routt National Forest-Northern Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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locating ten sites along the river. The artifacts recovered in the survey

were generally not diagnostic of cultural affiliation. Some of the sites
were reported as eroding; a jeep trail cuts through one site. It was

recommended that one of the sites be excavated for further analysis if

the Public Service Company's project progresses. None of the ten sites

was recommended for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

It should be noted, however, that this survey was limited to a rather small

area along a two-mile stretch of the river that is heavily used by the pub-
lic. That so many sites could be found there is remarkable and indicative
of possible extensive prehistorical use. It should be anticipated that
many other sites could be found elsewhere in the study area.

The numerous meadows along the North and South Forks of the Elk are

likely to contain prehistoric sites, what with the proximity of water and
the abundance of game and vegitation. In the course of the study group's
hike along the South Fork, I found an artifact--a stone chip--on the trail;
although found casually, this too indicates prehistoric use of the area.
The Elk River area may have been inhabited on and off for as long as
20,000 years. Sites that reveal the hunting and slaying of the mammoth and
other now extinct large mammals have been discovered in surrounding areas

of Colorado and Wyoming (Wormington, 1957). Paleo-Indian projectile points

have been reported in the Rocky Mountain National Park (Husted, 1962), and

other Paleo-Indian artifacts have been reported at high altitudes in the

Front Range (Benedict, 1974). Other and later archaeological evidence of

prehistoric use of the Routt National Forest area is discussed by Ward-

Williams (1976).

Lacking at present is the sort of archaeological evidence that could