2022 Map of Cow Creek

About this map

Saddle Mtn and the broad drainage of the Yampa River dominate this landscape in Routt County, where high-country ranching and water management define the settlement patterns. The confluence of the Elk River and its western fork meets the Yampa near the northern edge, a vital junction for local hydrology. Throughout the terrain, evidence of early irrigation and resource engineering is visible via the Connel Ditch and the long course of Trout Cr Ditch Number 4. Several upland catchments, including Apple Dam Reservoir and the Upper Robinson Reservoir, illustrate the historical necessity of capturing seasonal runoff in this part of Colorado. A network of rural routes like Co RD 33 and Co RD 44 link isolated homesteads and pastures across the varied elevations of the Cow Creek quadrangle.