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2022 Map of Basin

Name: 2022 Topographic Map of Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2022
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2022

About this map

Basin occupies the center of this high-altitude landscape in San Miguel County, where the hydrology is defined by seasonal drainages and a few vital water sources. The topography transitions from the lower Dry Creek Basin toward the deeper incisions of Dry Creek Canyon and the winding course of Big Gypsum Cr to the south. Notable for local history and land use, the map identifies Poison Spider Spring and Cottonwood Pond, critical points in an otherwise arid environment dominated by canyons and draws.

Transportation through this part of southwestern Colorado is marked by a network of ranch and county roads, including the lengthy Pony Draw Rd and the Desert Claim Arroyo track. These routes follow the natural contours between Broad Canyon and East Broad Canyon, providing access to the various sections of the Public Land Survey System grid. The map's detailed contour lines reveal the complex drainage patterns of Nelson Cr and Dead Horse Cr as they navigate the breaks of the plateau.