1972 Map of Casto Reservoir

About this map

Uncompahgre National Forest dominates this landscape, where the plateau terrain is defined by high-elevation features like Massey Bench and Leonards Ridge. In the early 1970s, this area of Mesa County served as a hub for both resource extraction and seasonal recreation, evidenced by the Uranium Road cutting through the western sections and the Divide Forks Campground situated near the headwaters of Big Creek. The map reveals a network of working lands and outposts, from the Big Creek Ranch to the Cold Springs Ranger Sta. Water management for the arid surroundings is central to the local geography, with Casto Reservoir and Big Creek Reservoir catching runoff from the many canyons, including Bear Canyon and Hungry Gulch. A primitive transportation network consisting of the Cabin Trail and several Jeep Trail routes provided access to landmarks like Dead Horse Pasture and Black Camp.