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1963 Map of Clyde Lake

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Clyde Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1990
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1990

About this map

The West Dolores River snakes through the northern portion of this landscape, defining a narrow corridor of human habitation within the San Juan National Forest. During the early 1960s, this area of the High Plateaus supported isolated outposts like Miller Ranch and Cresto Ranch, which sat along the river's path near where Groundhog Creek and Sulphur Creek meet the main flow. The terrain is marked by steep elevation changes, rising toward Eagle Peak and the high tableland of the Mesa.

A network of seasonal water sources and livestock infrastructure persists throughout the interior, including Sunshine Reservoir and Fox Den Reservoir. Backcountry travel was managed via a complex system of routes, from a Jeep Trail along the river to numerous paths like the Pack Trail and the Highline Driveway. Resource exploration is evidenced by a lone Prospect near Silver Creek, while the presence of named springs such as Cresto Spring and Twin Spring highlights the critical importance of water for high-altitude ranching.