Carbondale Cattle Drive

Ranchers Bill Fales and Marj Perry took their herd of Hereford cattle for a walk, from their summer pastures down to their winter home at the historic Cold Mountain Ranch, right through the middle of Carbondale, Colorado on Tuesday, November 9, 2021.

Cattle drives were once a common site in the spring and fall in rural America, but now they are increasingly rare. Most neighbors take the brief traffic backup’s, on local streets and Colorado Highway 133, in stride.

The drive started about six miles away and ended at Cold Mountain Ranch. The historic ranch, in the Crystal River Valley south of town, is owned by Pitkin County and is preserved as a permanent conservation Open Space for agricultural use.

The ranch was homesteaded in the 1880’s, and reportedly once produced enough potatoes for the entire New York Central Railroad.

Video created by Outside Adventure Media. All rights reserved.