09/03/2026
Today, the Josie Morris Cabin may seem simple and unremarkable. But it was once a lively hub of pioneer life. For fifty years, Josie Bassett Morris lived here. She spent her days chopping wood, tending gardens and orchards, and raising cattle and chickens in a remote part of Dinosaur National Monument.
Josie grew up relying on the natural world around her. She learned the value of hard work and being resourceful. As a young girl, she moved with her parents from Arkansas to Browns Park in northwestern Colorado.
In 1913, Josie Morris left Colorado with little money to buy property. She filed a homestead claim along Cub Creek, where she built her own cabin that still stands today. Josie lived in the cabin until she passed away in 1963. This was during a time when plumbing and electricity were becoming common in America.
Josie represented a progressive style of womanhood in the early 20th century. Josie's strong will, charm, and independence drew criticism from some. Yet, many admired her for embracing a rugged and remote lifestyle. The Josie Bassett Morris Ranch Complex is now on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a well-known landmark in Dinosaur National Monument. It represents the tough spirit of the American frontier.
Cub Creek Road is 10 miles (16 km) long on the Utah side of the monument. It stretches from the Quarry Visitor Center to Josie Morris's cabin. Have you visited Josie's Cabin? Let us know how you'd like living a pioneer lifestyle out there!
Image from the Museum of Northwest Colorado in downtown Craig that is a black-and-white vintage photo of Josie Bassett Morris standing and looking to the left, wearing denim overalls and a wide-brimmed hat, holding an axe. A medium-sized dog stands nearby among scattered logs and branches. Behind them, a rustic wooden cabin sits among trees and flowering shrubs along a low fence.
