1994 Map of Atkinson Creek

About this map

Uranium Reserve Department of Energy operations and Cold War-era mineral extraction define this rugged landscape on the boundary of Mesa and Montrose counties. The terrain is dominated by the massive Atkinson Mesa and the complex drainage of Atkinson Creek, where West Atkinson Creek and Big Atkinson Creek carve through the Atkinson Mesa Breaks. In the southwest corner, the San Miguel River cuts through the canyon floor near the Wright Mines, reflecting the region's intensive mining history. High-elevation plateaus like Spring Creek Mesa and Wild Cow Mesa provide a stark contrast to the deep basins of the Uncompahgre National Forest. Scattered evidence of early industrial activity remains visible through various mines, an Air Shaft, and prospects found across the mesas, while the Spring Creek Ranch represents a rare pocket of settlement in this resource-rich frontier.