2016 Map of Big Mesa

About this map

The Blue Mesa Reservoir dominates the northern landscape of this Gunnison County region, where the high-altitude waters are fed by a network of drainage systems including Steuben Creek, Willow Cr, and Stevens Cr. To the south, the expansive high-desert terrain of Big Mesa rises as a prominent landform, its slopes marked by rugged outcroppings like Blaine Rock. This 2016 survey illustrates the extensive road and trail network that provides access to the Curecanti National Recreation Area, from established routes like Vulcan Road to the primitive Beaver Creek Trail. The map documents a sparsely populated but vital corridor of public lands, capturing the intersections of water management, recreation, and the persistent grazing and ranching geography of the Colorado interior, evidenced by features such as Big Springs and various cattle-related drainage names like Corral Cr.