1954 Map of Big Mesa

About this map

Blue Mesa Reservoir Elevation 7519 dominates this landscape, showing the impact of mid-century infrastructure on the historic Gunnison River corridor. Revisions from 1970 illustrate the reservoir's footprint as it reached its operational capacity, inundating the deep canyon floors where tributaries like Willow Creek and Beaver Creek once met the primary river channel. High above the water, the sprawling plateau of Big Mesa remains a prominent landform, dotted with a few prospects and isolated landmarks such as Blaine Rock. Evidence of early ranching and travel persists in the southern sections, where Shaw Ranch sits near the confluence of several mountain streams. The presence of a Jeep Trail and the small settlement at Hierro reflect the transition from early 20th-century frontier life to the modern recreational and water-management era in Gunnison County.