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1966 Map of Big Joe Basin

Name: 1966 Topographic Map of Big Joe Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Browns Park and the surrounding high country of northwestern Colorado define this 1966 topographic study. The landscape is dominated by the massive Cold Spring Mountain and the distinct topographic divide of Limestone Ridge. Settled patterns are sparse, focusing instead on seasonal water sources like Pablo Spring, Matt Spring, and Swede Spring that supported livestock in this arid basin. A small genealogical landmark, the Bassett Cem, sits near the base of the mountains, suggesting the early homesteading history of the area.

Travel through the basin relied on a network of established tracks, including the Bull Trail and various pack trails cutting through Green Canyon and across Peekaboo Ridge. The drainage system is anchored by Vermillion Creek, which flows through the southern reaches of the quadrangle past several named falls. This map serves as a record of the remote Moffat County backcountry before modern road improvements, preserving the original place names of the Big Joe Basin and Little Joe Basin.