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1973 Map of Cottonwood Basin

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Cottonwood Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Uncompahgre National Forest land defines this corner of Montrose County, where high plateaus are carved by a complex network of seasonal drainages and springs. The landscape is dominated by a series of distinct mesas including Dry Mesa, Sawmill Mesa, and Little Monitor Mesa, which separate significant drainage basins like Cottonwood Basin and Monitor Basin.

Water management is a central theme of this 1970s survey, evidenced by numerous named reservoirs such as the Harry White Reservoirs, Big Monitor Reservoir No 1, and Pine Trail Res. These small-scale water works, often linked to camps like Fall Cabin Camp, suggest a history of seasonal grazing and forest resource use. Movement through this high-altitude environment is recorded along the Tatum Draw Road and various unnamed jeep and pack trails that navigate the steep descents of Mud Springs Gulch and Escalante Creek.