In 1860, the first permanent prospectors arrived in Leadville. History says they came from Central City, so they must have gone down Clear Creek to the Denver area (Denver having been established in 1858), then up the South Platte River into South Park. From there they would have to cross the Mosquito Range at Mosquito Pass directly into the Leadville area.

The old stage road to Leadville must have come into the Arkansas Valley over Trout Creek Pass to Johnson Village south of Buena Vista, then proceded north. You can still see traces of the road on the East side of the river south of Granite.