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1956 Map of Buffalo Peak

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Buffalo Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Buffalo Peak dominates this high-altitude landscape in north-central Colorado, marking a significant boundary between the Routt National Forest and Arapaho National Forest. The 1956 field check captures a working ranching economy on the fringes of the wilderness, with established operations like Buffalo Ranch, Shamrock Ranch, and Wheatley Ranch situated along the drainage of Coyote Creek.

A complex network of alpine water management is evident throughout the terrain, featuring high-altitude catchments such as Vinegar Res, Slack-Weiss Reservoir, and Buffalo Reservoir. The map provides a detailed look at the hydrology of the Continental Divide's eastern slope, where numerous small lakes like Kidney Lake, Long Lake, and Disappointment Lake feed into the Arapaho Creek system. This survey documents the intersection of industrial water infrastructure and remote mountain geography before modern developments altered these backcountry routes.