The Outlaw Trail was a large section of nearly two hundred miles. The Trail includes the area of Robbers Roost, Brown’s Hole and Hole-in-the-Wall. It was the refuge and hideout for Butch Cassidy’s gang from the 1880’s until the early 1900’s.
It was easy to hide there because of the many canyons and draws to hide in, and getting lost for someone not familiar with the area was easy. Another person familiar with Robbers Roost was Matt Warner. Warner would steal cattle and hideout in Robbers Roost. Others who knew and used the Robbers Roost were the McCarty (McCarthy) gang.
The Wild Bunch headed there after a Colorado bank robbery in 1889. Cassidy used it again in 1897, when he and another man, probably Elzy Lay held up the Pleasant Valley Coal Company payroll. Attempts were made to catch Butch and the gang but authorities could never enter Robbers Roost. Over the years Robbers Roost gained a reputation for not being able to be entered. Stories were told how men, a system of tunnels, fortifications and land mines guarded the Roost. It was also claimed that the Roost had a storehouse of supplies and ammunition making it impossible to enter. Lawmen seemed to believe some of these stories, some had no desire to try and get and outlaw out of there.
Robbers Roost was mostly abandoned at the time that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid left for South America. Many outlaws passed through there not only because of the Robbers Roost but because Green River was so remote and local friendships. Stories awe told of Butch and the youngsters of Hanksville playing jacks with 20 dollar gold pieces.