Surrounded at Three Borders

The three borders of our current spot—where Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado meet—is the reason Wild West outlaws used to hide out here. If the law from one state was chasing them, they’d simply ride over the line to another state where the fellers chasing them had no jurisdiction. And, at this spot, they’d have two other states to choose from.

At least that’s what I learned when we visited a nearby historic homestead where Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch hid—in the old dugout where the homesteaders began their life before they built their house.

And that’s the underground bunker we had just stepped out of when we saw the first of the many critters who have us surrounded on this border of three states.

Do you know what kind of snake this is? I don’t, and it was at least five feet long. When I showed this pic to the park guy who’s the caretaker of the historic homestead, he asked for it. He didn’t know either. My motto: Snakes are interesting if you see them coming. If they’re a surprise, not so much.

We’re boondocking nearby, on a pull off that anglers use to access the Green River.

The Department of Natural Resources also uses it to access a pump that sends water to an irrigation ditch for a nearby waterfowl area.

And a herd of cows uses it to access the river when the pump is off.

The more you try to scare the cows away so they don’t poop in your campsite, the more curious they become and the closer they walk in. It would be frustrating, if it also weren’t so entertaining.

I’ve been spending part of each day sitting by the water watching this critter make rounds back and forth from a den in the river bank to the rocks in the middle of the river. Beaver, otter, or muskrat? Probably muskrat, but I enjoy playing devil’s advocate with Tracy’s conclusion and guessing beaver.

Once there was a lot of rustling in the willow fronds by the water, and I thought it surely was a beaver at work. I readied myself to snap a shot as he came out onto the path dragging a branch, and suddenly I balked at a bear!

Which turned out to be a cow.

You can’t blame me for my anticipation, though. After having been surprised by two mean-looking snakes recently, what’s a small bear or two? I’ve also watched a coyote stalk across the drained wetlands; we saw a lone antelope; for a bit birds were trying to make a nest in the awning; and we have trouble with two types of critters in the tent.

Red ants swarm over the tent rug first thing in the morning then late each afternoon (why they’re gone in the middle of the day I do not know), and there’s this one brood of baby mice without the sense yet to hidden. Banjo watches them while she’s not watching for cows.

It’s gorgeous here, but then it’s also right before a holiday weekend, and there’s nothing stopping anglers from pulling in alongside us. They’ve got to get in line behind the mice, beaver/muskrat, snake, coyote, swarming ants, and rare cow bear.

Oh yeah, can you see Tracy fishing in the right corner of this pic? He caught us a nice trout lunch that day, then fried it up in the cast iron skillet.

It’s mighty nice to be so near water again.

You guys raise some hell out there.

8 thoughts to “Surrounded at Three Borders”

  1. Critters and cow pies aside, this is a beautiful spot to park. Love that first pic of Banio… and you can’t beat fresh trout for dinner.
    👍

  2. Oh my god Shelly, if there was a calf where was the mumma cow? I would have been heading away from the bustle in the hedgerow at that point -smol bear or calf is dangerous territory 😅

    1. There’s a herd that just stands around the truck and trailer looking at us, like, “Where’s our hay?!?” To my credit for hanging around the bustling bushes, I thought it was the beaver. Surprisingly hard to tell.

  3. The three borders story is so interesting and I loved the cows meandering in camp out of curiosity. There’s nothing liking cooking up freshly caught trout over a fire for lunch….

    1. Well, fires can be a pain to make and the lingering smell is obnoxious if you’re not able to shower for quite a while. Lucky for us we have our kitchen and cast-iron pan right here with us. Totally yum though!

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