Powderhorn in Gunnison County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Powderhorn Valley
| | Silver Thread Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway | |
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 21, 2025
1. Powderhorn Valley Marker
Powderhorn Valley was named by mountain men and fur trappers because the shape of the valley resembles a bison horn that would have been used to keep gunpowder dry.
The Post Office in Powderhorn Valley was established in 1876 when the valley was settled by ranch families looking for lush grassland to support cattle. In the early years, Powderhorn Valley supplied beef and potatoes that fed the hungry miners and most of the hay for the horses, mules, and burros that worked in the mines in the mountains above Lake City.
For years, families shopped at Youman's store. Everything in the store was behind the counter and customers had to ask for needed items. Household goods, including fabric, nails, flour, and seed were available only in bulk and needed to be measured or weighed at the time goods were sold.
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From the air, Powderhorn Valley resembles a powderhorn used by fur trappers.
Powderhorn Valley in 1912 with Youman's Store and the Post Office near the center of this photo. Photo taken from a knoll west of town. Many of todays residents are fourth and fifth generation descendants of the original settlers.
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Jim Andrews Farm, circa 1900 Root crops were grown throughout the Powderhorn Valley for hungry miners in the mountains. It was said that Potato Henry Rudolf supplied most of the potatoes for Lake City.
Erected by Western Colorado Interpretive Association and Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.
Location. 38° 17.051′ N, 107° 7.541′ W. Marker is in Powderhorn, Colorado, in Gunnison County. It is at the intersection of State Highway 149 at milepost 99.5 and County Road 28, on the left when traveling south on State Highway 149. The marker is in a pull-out overlooking the Powderhorn Valley from County Road 28. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Powderhorn CO 81243, 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,
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 21, 2025
2. Powderhorn Valley Marker
Looking south across the Powderhorn Valley from Gunnison County Road 28.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 15 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Saguache and San Juan Toll Road (approx. 5.3 miles away); The Old Spanish Trail (approx. 5.3 miles away); Lost in a Blizzard (approx. 5.3 miles away); People of the Shining Mountains (approx. 7.7 miles away); Keeping the Peace (approx. 7.7 miles away); Puzzle from the Past (approx. 12.8 miles away); Trains and Trout (approx. 13.6 miles away); a different marker also named Trains and Trout (approx. 14.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Powderhorn.
Also see . . . Town Profiles: Powderhorn (GunnisonCrestedButte.com).
Excerpt: Not much is known about the Native American history of the Cebolla Creek valley and the Powderhorn region. What we do know is that several trails between the Ute wintering grounds in the Uncompahgre Valley to the west and Cochetopa Pass to the east were utilized for travel, trade, and hunting. The Spanish also likely used these same routes to explore the Gunnison Country, and several rumors persist that a jasper mine in the Cebolla Creek headwaters was used to decorate several famous cathedrals in Mexico City. Old fort ruins and several roads were discovered when the first American prospectors and trappers entered the area in the middle 1800s.(Submitted on January 18, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Since Powderhorn never had a railroad, its prospects have always been in flux. Early mining in the region always started out promising but then faded out as the veins were explored. Even mines that were successful had to cart their ore out by mule to Gunnison or Sapinero to receive their profit. The one consistency for Powderhorn has always been ranching. As Lake City and Gunnison boomed, the need for hay was in high demand. Today ranching remains the staple economy of Powderhorn. The wide open valley of Cebolla Creek is perfect for cattle and sheep as it opens up in the Powderhorn Valley.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 17, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 65 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 18, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
