The Long Black Trail
I wrote this song during the Elk hunting trip with friends several years ago, in the mountains of north central Colorado. We had been hunting out of a drop camp and were waiting on the outfitter to come in and get us on the last day of the hunt. We were all packed up and ready for him by early afternoon, but as the time passed, we began to realize we might spend another night in camp. It was dark out and past 6:00 p.m. when he finally showed up with the horses to pack us out. Additionally, there had been a storm during the week and the trail we had come up there on, no longer existed due to blown down trees and storm damage. We loaded up and headed down the mountain in the pitch dark. You could literally not see past the head of your own horse. The horses knew where the “old trail” was and continually wanted to go down on that non-existent path! We were constantly fighting to stay in the saddle and not get knocked out by tree branches etc. Four hours later we got to the bottom of the mountain and my hamstrings locked up in knots when I got off the horse!
The Long Black Trail
Let me tell you all a story bout a huntin trip of mine
Spent a week in Colorado huntin elk and feeling fine,
We were packing out on Thursday and the guide as coming soon,
But when I looked up the sun went down, we’d be waiting on the moon
And the Long Black Trail
Well he got there with the horses when the night replaced the day
And he said I know you boy’s can’t see but the horses knew the way,
So we loaded up the panyers, saddled up and off we’d go
Down through the blowdown and the rocks to the cars way down below
On The Long Black Trail
Chorus:
So sit low in your saddle, you’d better know your Braille, when you’re following
A packhorse down the Long Black Trail.
Keep your eyes glued on that horse ahead, don’t lose sight of his tail
I’ll kiss the ground when we get down the Long Black Trail:
In the dark of the night without a light it’s best that I can’t see
This pack train that I’m riding on cause there’s a cliff right next to me,
Hear the one behind me stumble, hear the rocks roll down the hill,
And the lonely cry of another guy, I don’t really need that thrill
On The Long Black Trail
Chorus:
In the inky black I hear branches crack as the packhorse next in line
Disappears into black timber, hear the Coleman’s slap the pine,
I’m on a thousand pounds of animal that could really make me pay,
I’m just hoping that old Dolly hasn’t had a real bad day
On the Long Black Trail
Chorus:
Let him have his head, or you’ll be dead
On that long black trail
