[3]: 63  The trail went overland through present-day Black Forest to Cherry Creek where it was followed to the South Platte River.

[7] Trappers, Utes and other Native Americans traded furs and food (deer, buffalo, other game, and corn) for goods, guns and whiskey that Jimmy acquired from the East.

[7][8] Jimmy lit a signal fire to let Native Americans know when he returned with a new selection of goods.

[8] In addition to shade afforded by pine and cottonwood trees, there was plenty of grass for grazing around the spring.

[3]: 63 The first recorded trapper to use the trail past Jimmy's Camp Creek was William Sublette (1829).

[3]: 64  Individuals who camped at the site included frontiersman Jim Baker, explorer John C. Frémont,[1] Rufus Sage (1842), Francis Parkman (1846), and the Mormons (1847).

[12][7] John Steele of the Mormon Battalion of 1847 believed that Jimmy's Camp was named for Dr. Edwin James of Long's 1820 expedition.

[3]: 67 Native Americans came to his cabin or hut one day to find that he has been robbed and murdered.

They returned to Jimmy's cabin, buried him, and covered his grave with a large flat stone.

[3]: 68–69  Rufus Sage said that Jimmy was killed by a Mexican man who traveled with him and stole some calico.

Site visited by Rufus Sage (1842), Francis Parkman (1846), Mormons (1847), and by many gold seekers of 1858-59.