The roots of Grand County trace back to about 11,000 years ago, with evidence of human occupation during the Clovis, Folsom, and Plano periods. The first modern Native Tribe to inhabit the region were the Utes. These hunter-gatherers traveled throughout the Rockies, following game herds and gathering dietary plants. By the early 1800s, the Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes began hunting in the Middle Park area, leading to territorial disputes with the Utes.