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1964 Map of Basin

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1991
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1991

About this map

Dry Creek Basin dominates this 1964 survey of San Miguel County, showing a landscape defined by seasonal water and ranching infrastructure. The presence of the Basin Stock Driveway cutting across the terrain reflects the importance of moving livestock through this arid region between seasonal pastures. Local landmarks such as Beards Corner and the Young Ranch provide specific points of human habitation and navigation in an otherwise expansive system of canyons and plateaus.

Canyons like Dry Creek Canyon and Broad Canyon are etched deeply into the topography, while features like Poison Spider Spring and Cottonwood Pond highlight the critical, sparse water sources for residents and wildlife. Surveyed during the mid-1960s, the map also captures smaller industrial and aviation details, including a Drill Hole and a marked Landing Area, illustrating how this isolated Colorado terrain was utilized and monitored.