South Park long served as both a crossroads and a destination for people from elsewhere. American Indians traveling between their summer and winter homes established routes through the landscape as they came to hunt, collect natural salts, and soak in hot springs. Other travelers later used the same paths and ultimately built railways and highways along them. Mountain men and trappers arrived in the early 1800s, followed by a flood of miners in 1859-60 seeking fortunes in gold and silver. Some miners remained and became ranchers. By the 1880s, two railways crossed South Park, the Denver, South Park & Pacific and the Colorado Midland. The Colorado Midland survived until World War I by carrying tourists on sightseeing, wildflower, and hot springs excursions. The Denver, South Park & Pacific lasted until 1937 and in its later years was largely supported by traffic to and from the Climax Molybdenum Mine near Leadville. By 1916, four state highways crossed South Park.