LOOK: Colorado ‘Wild Horse Sanctuary City’ is a Hidden Gem

When Western Colorado residents think of De Beque, Colorado, we may think of the De Beque cutoff leading to the Grand Mesa. We might think of the De Beque Canyon Diversion Dam downstream from the town.

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This small town is one of the oldest in Mesa County, yet is home to much more than guest ranches and wild horses.

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Ute Indians and Wild Horses

The Ute Indians valued the Colorado River, the plentiful hunting throughout the hills, the protection of the canyons, and the strong and wild mustangs that roamed the Western Slope for years before settlers came to the area around the Colorado/Utah border. Once Colorado became a state in 1876, prospectors like Dr. W.A.E. de Beque began to search for ranchlands along the 'Grand' river on the far side of the state.

The Colorado River and the Roan Plateau

Once settlers found their way to Gunnison (soon to become Mesa) county, they discovered the same wild mustangs the Utes had come to know. The community of De Beque would begin to grow along the Colorado as it became a well-known place to buy, sell, and trade these horses as more and more ranchers established themselves in the area. Oil was first discovered within the Pieance Basin surrounding De Beque by 1883, and drilling/production began in 1917 on Mount Logan on the Roan Plateau.

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Wild Horse Days in De Beque

De Beque's annual festival is known as 'Wild Horse Days' and is held annually at the end of August. The city's ties to the wild horses are further explained at the monument in front of the De Beque town hall. In 2001, De Beque's board of trustees declared the town the only wild horse sanctuary city in the American West.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at ten facts you may not have known about one of the oldest towns in Mesa County, Colorado.