Belvoir Ranch

Belvoir Ranch

While you are in the area, or on your way back to Cheyenne, you can cross Interstate 80 and to your south, you will see what is known as the Belvoir Ranch.  Go back to the Harriman (just follow the last map back), exit and turn south.  This is 18,800 acres of land purchased by the City of Cheyenne for development.  Geology of the Belvoir ranch is quite different in areas from across the street at Harriman or Vedauwoo.  While Vedauwoo is primarily Granite formation, to the south we find sandstone and limestone.  This is part of the Casper formation, which dates back 545 million years ago.  There appears to be a fault that rather follows a southwest to northeast direction.  You can clearly see the difference in rock on this side of the road.  Here you will find gray, tan and red sandstone, along with pink and gray limestone.  The first photo shows limestone on sandstone.  The second picture is of a prehistoric rock shelter found toward the south end of the property.  The third is  proof that the rock shelter was used by someone, possibly as far back as 11,000 years ago, to make stone tools.  It is a flake of chalcedony.  Supposedly there is a quarry of this material somewhere in the area, but we have not found it yet.  Given the size of the flake, it makes sense there are some large pieces in the area, as no one would tote stones that big around on the off chance he got some free time to make a tool.