GC29BAP Graflin Gulch Lime Kilns
Type: Traditional | Size: Regular | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: Flutiste @ | Hide Date: 05/28/2010 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N38° 28.875 W106° 50.235 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
                 

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The cache is located in Graflin Gulch -- a remote area about 4 miles south of HWY 50. There are dirt roads leading to the site which require a high clearance vehicle, however 4-wheel drive would make it easier. Be prepared to open a cattle-gate or two, depending on which route you take. AVOID THESE ROADS WHEN WET -- they are built on shale, and they get very slippery. There is a challenging uphill climb with poor footing to get to the cache. Elevation at the cache: 8320'

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The cache is hidden at twin side-by-side lime kilns in Graflin Gulch. Both kilns are constructed of a fine-grained gray quartzite, which was quarried from the nearby cliffs. The kiln on the left is older, and the mud cementing the stones has been cooked to a red color. The newer one on the right doesn't appear to have had much use. Both are now home to packrats.


The kilns were used to cook calcite (calcium carbonate) rocks into lime. Lime was used as a bonding agent in cement and as a flux for smelting. It was also used in plastering interior walls and in the mortar used to chink the gaps in log cabins. There are 3 visible trenches on the hillside above the kilns where the calcite deposits were dug up. These deposits were a dirty-white type of banded calcite called "travertine". These rocks can be seen in the rubble around the kilns.

There are various other kilns in the area, and each is unique, depending on what rocks were available nearby for construction. They all date back to the 1800's. They may have supplied lime to the mines to the south, as well as the homes in the mining towns and in Gunnison.

Cache is in a clear plastic water bottle with a silver lid.

NOTE OF CAUTION: BE PREPARED FOR MOSQUITOS! If you bring kids to this cache, keep an eye on them. The kilns are deep and some of the rocks are unstable. The entrance to Long Gulch from HWY 50 is closed in early spring until May 15th. As always, if you venture out during hunting season, (September and October), wear some blaze orange and be noisy.

07/05/2019 By okls1596
Thanks! Hortcacher and I enjoyed our visit to this cache.

07/05/2019 By hortcacher
Wow! This lonely little guy appears to have not been visited in five years!! OKLS1596 and I went to this site today because we thought it sounded interesting. I am glad there was a cache to tell us about it! The cache is in excellent shape!!

We do not have a 4WD vehicle, but our 2WD F-350 took us to within 0.4 mile and we walked the rest of the way. I am scatter brained today, I guess, as I left my phone in the cachemobile so I could not take photos. OKLS took some photos for me so I can post one when he sends it.

This is why I love Geocaching! You never know what you will find. Thanks for bringing us here and TFTC!

06/13/2014 By flutiste
MtFairWeather was right ... the cache has been muggled! Replaced the cache box today, and got a flat tire in the process.

06/11/2014 By mtfairweather
Had 5 people looking for this one but no luck. If it was in the can it isn't any longer. Anyone have a clue for me?

08/29/2013 By elko dealers
We had a fun ride out to the cache area.
SLTNLN T4TH

09/10/2011 By 3cacheteers
Figured out how to get to this one pretty easily. Took a lot of bouncing around in the Jeep before I got to it. You can see forever. I wandered around looking at rocks forever! Really cool place. TNLNSL

09/12/2010 By two much fun
again love the history lesson beautiful area clever hide tftc sl t-die l-costa rican coin