Steamboat Springs in Routt County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Steamboat Spring
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 18, 2013
1. Steamboat Spring Marker
Legend has it that three French trappers first noted this unusual spring in the Yampa Valley. The spouting spring, accompanied by a “chugging” sound, reminded them of a steamboat. Henceforth, since the early 1870s, the trappers, guides, and miners came to recognize and know this future townsite as “Steamboat Springs.”
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1874.
Location. 40° 29.319′ N, 106° 50.493′ W. Marker is in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, in Routt County. It can be reached from 13th Street (County Road 33) just west of Lincoln Avenue (U.S. 40), on the left when traveling west. Marker is located along the Yampa River Core Trail near Black Sulphur Spring. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Steamboat Springs CO 80487, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Colorado High Rockies. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At
this page online
Also see . . . History of Steamboat Springs. City of Steamboat Springs entry:
The Yampa Valley was the summer hunting grounds of the Ute Indians for hundreds of years. The Yampatika Ute and Arapaho tribes also visited the area for its mineral or medicine springs considered sacred places of physical and spiritual healing. (Submitted on February 10, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
via The Steamboat Group, unknown
2. Downtown Steamboat Springs
Steamboat History
The Steamboat Group Real Estate website entry
The first white men passed through the area in the early 1800's. The name Steamboat Springs is said to have originated in the late 1820's when three French Trappers, traveling along the Yampa River, heard a "chug chug" sound. Thinking they had reached a major river, one yelled, "a Steamboat, by gar!" The Steamboat Spring still sits at the far end of town.
(Submitted on February 10, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Click for more information.
The Steamboat Group Real Estate website entry
The first white men passed through the area in the early 1800's. The name Steamboat Springs is said to have originated in the late 1820's when three French Trappers, traveling along the Yampa River, heard a "chug chug" sound. Thinking they had reached a major river, one yelled, "a Steamboat, by gar!" The Steamboat Spring still sits at the far end of town.
(Submitted on February 10, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Click for more information.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 18, 2013
3. Steamboat Spring & Steamboat Spring Marker
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 18, 2013
4. Steamboat Spring Interpretive Panel
(located beside spring)
(located beside spring)
”The waters, rolling from their mountain springs with a soft island murmur.”
—Wordsworth
Steamboat Spring
Temperature: 78°
Steamboats founder James Crawford staked his land claim on a quaking aspen next to this spring in 1874. The geyser-like spring at that time made a chugging sound which reminded early settlers of a Steamboat, thus giving our town its unlikely name.
—Wordsworth
Steamboat Spring
Temperature: 78°
Steamboats founder James Crawford staked his land claim on a quaking aspen next to this spring in 1874. The geyser-like spring at that time made a chugging sound which reminded early settlers of a Steamboat, thus giving our town its unlikely name.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 18, 2013
5. Yampa River
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 18, 2013
6. Steamboat Spring
Credits. This page was last revised on June 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 10, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,001 times since then and 77 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on February 10, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2. submitted on June 1, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 10, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
