Stagecoaches: mass transit in the 19th century – Definitely not a joy ride
Drivers on today’s Park County roads take nearly the same routes stagecoaches took and see some of the same scenery; but that’s where the similarities end.
It’s an annoyance to modern travelers when the car breaks down, when traffic delays eat into busy schedules or dirt and gravel side roads turn to washboards. Travel in a stagecoach would put our modern discomfort into perspective. It was no joy ride.
With a top speed of 10 miles per hour on the flat and more common speed of five miles per hour, the ride from Denver to Fairplay on the stagecoach, was a 16-18 hour ride requiring an overnight stay. According to ads in the Rocky Mountain News of 1873, the fare was $12, equivalent to about $235 today.
