You Guessed it, Somewhere near Trinchera Pass...

Did The James Gang Stay Here?

Awesome colors! And look how patriotic for July 4th, 2009!

Where is Muddy Creek, Anyway? This Baby is for sale!

Now, This is a Gate!

More of a Suburban Gate, wouldn't You say?

Somewhere along Oak Creek Grade - Handcarved Even!

Is That a Wolf's head? Or a Bear's?

On the Road To Palmer Lake, Colorado...

If you're a Cool Ranch Gate fan, you'll have to take the scenic drive south of Sedalia, Colorado, down to Palmer Lake on the back road. There, you'll forget about all the hustle and bustle of the big city. Along with the cool ranch gates that you'll find, you'll also notice the great panoramic views looking south and west; this is one of the great scenic byways that hasn't been too contaminated yet. You will need about 1-2 hrs to do this sidetrip from Denver, or make a weekend of it and stop in at different places along the way!

Go a Little Further South & You'll See This Gate!

This is a very cool ranch gate in Arizona, near Tucson, near the North Star Ranch, near the Studebaker Claim. Words can only serve as a beginning point to describe this very unique area. While this is a reletively newer gate, it is very interesting and incorporates design elements found on older gates.

Now, isn't this a cool blog spot? Can you see the artistic qualities in Ranch gates that have never been talked about....until now?

Ever Been to Cactus [F]Lats?

This is a little place called "Cactus Flats." Only problem is they lost the "F" in Flats, so it's just "Lats" at this point. I still like the metal work and the little cactus motifs - makes this quite vintage & it has character, despite the gate's overall skinniness. Nevertheless, I think everyone around the gate still knows where they are from, or going, or whatever. From a design point though, the gate would look more complete with the F. Anyway, this old gate is on a back road near Penrose, CO. Hope you get a chance to see it sometime!

Cool Ranch Gate at Dusk (Teller County)

This is a very sturdy and stately ranch gate, located in south Teller County, Colorado. I caught it just before the sun went down, so I got a more grainy effect photo.

What is a Cool Ranch Gate?

I live in Colorado and do a fair amount of travel in and around "The Old West." One thing that struck me a few months ago were the differences in ranch gates, here and in other western states. I'm thinking that it is a totally unsung form of art or architecture or a combination, thereof. This gate pictured, for example, has some cool components. I like how they used three very beefy round posts and bracketed them together with heavy steel plate that rusts and gives the gate a heavy, rustic appearance. I also like the masonry on the sides and the metal "Dilley Ranch" sign inset into the rocks. Finally, the nice cross piece, or lintel, hosts a nice hand-made sign, also carrying the Dilley Ranch name. For newer Ranch Gates, this one is very cool! This gate is just north of Canon City, CO on the Red Canyon Road.
There are many more gates in and around Canon City, CO, more of which I will show in other posts. I am really hoping that other folks from other parts of Colorado and our neighboring states will show off some of there old and fancy gates as well. The other thing is that we are breaking new ground here because I don't think that there is too much written on such gates. With your help, we can immortalize these great nostalgic doorways to our ranches.