Loading map...

1968 Map of Basin Mountain

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Basin Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Basin Mountain and the high ridges of La Plata County define this landscape, where the southern reaches of the San Juan Mountains meet the Animas River valley. The map documents a rugged terrain dominated by deeply incised drainages like Black Water Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon, and Sawmill Canyon. Settlement is sparse, concentrated near the small community of La Posta in the southeast, where the river serves as the primary corridor for movement and water management.

Water infrastructure is critical to the area's development, evidenced by the Sunnyside Ditch and Citizens Ditch flanking the riverbanks. Higher in the mountains, a network of stock ponds and water sources like Dads Reservoir, Sullivan Reservoir, and McCullough Spring supported high-altitude ranching. The inclusion of several Oil Wells and a prominent Pipeline indicates the early industrial footprint of mineral extraction within the Southern Ute Indian Reservation.