1956 Map of Buffalo Peak

About this map

Buffalo Ranch and nearby outfits like Wade Ranch and Shamrock Ranch anchor the high country of Jackson County in the mid-1950s. This survey illustrates the complex irrigation system required for ranching in the Colorado Rockies, featuring the Slack Ditch, Allard DITCH, and Cochrane Ditch winding through the drainage of Coyote Creek. To the south, the landscape shifts into the protected timberlands of Routt National Forest and Arapaho National Forest. High-altitude water sources are plentiful, from the Arapaho Lakes cluster to the Two Ledge Reservoir. The map documents a rugged working landscape where cattle operations met the federal forest boundary, connected by the Buffalo Pass Trail and overseen by the towering Buffalo Peak. Notable landmarks such as the Aspen Knoll Cabin and a lone Oil Well near Buffalo Creek reflect the era's diverse land use.