1967 Map of Cucharas Pass

About this map

San Isabel National Forest dominates this high-altitude landscape in the late 1960s, defined by the drainage divide between the northern and southern watersheds of the Sangre de Cristo foothills. The settlement of Cuchara serves as the northern gateway, situated along the Cucharas River before the terrain rises toward the significant mountain crossings at Cucharas Pass and Apishapa Pass. This era captures the transition of the land from traditional livestock grazing at sites like Parsons Cow Camp toward a growing focus on outdoor recreation, evidenced by the development of the Cuchara Campground and Potato Patch Campground.