1964 Map of Basin

About this map

Dry Creek Basin dominates this landscape of the San Miguel region, showing a high-altitude drainage system defined by seasonal watercourses and remote ranching outposts. Small settlements like Basin and Beards Corner serve as focal points in an area where water sources such as Poison Spider Spring and Cottonwood Pond were critical for local movement and livestock. The 1963 aerial photography reveals a sparse infrastructure, marked by a lone Landing Area and a Gaging Sta, likely used for monitoring the flows of Dry Creek and its many tributaries like Dead Horse Creek. The terrain is deeply incised by Broad Canyon and East Broad Canyon, while the high ground of Horse Park overlooks the vast open basin. This mapping shows the intersection of natural resource management and isolated high-desert habitation during the mid-20th century.