This noble red man was well disposed toward the white settlers, and his tribe, during those troublous times, kept peace with these invaders of their mountain home.
In 1868 Belllounds was instrumental in persuading the Utes to relinquish Middle Park.

The slopes of the hills were heavily timbered; gold and silver had been found in the mountains.

It was a country that attracted prospectors, cattlemen, lumbermen.

The summer season was not long enough to grow grain, and the nights too frosty for corn; otherwise Middle Park would have increased rapidly in population.
In the years that succeeded the departure of the Utes Bill Belllounds developed several cattle-ranches and acquired others.

White Slides Ranch lay some twenty-odd miles from Middle Park, being a winding arm of the main valley land.