1961 Map of Cattle Creek

About this map

The Roaring Fork River corridor defines the eastern edge of this landscape, where the Denver and Rio Grande Western RR Grade follows the valley floor past the small settlement at Cattle. The terrain rises sharply to the west into the White River National Forest, a region marked by deep drainages like Babbish Gulch and Mule Gulch. Industrial history is prominent here, with the Sunlight Mine and Black Diamond Mine located near an Abandoned Tramway. The complex network of water management, including the Kaiser-Sievers Ditch and the Sweet Jessup Canal, illustrates the irrigation systems necessary for high-altitude ranching at sites like the Crystal River Ranch. Old transportation routes, identified as Old RR Grade and several Jeep Trails, connect the remote mines to the river valley.