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1971 Map of Desert Gulch

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Desert Gulch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Skinner Ridge and Brush Mountain dominate this western Colorado landscape, which is defined by a complex network of high ridges and deep drainage gulches. At the southern edge of the survey, Roan Creek provides the primary water source for the region, joined by tributaries such as Carr Creek and Cannon Creek. The mapping reveals a remote environment where movement was dictated by the terrain, evidenced by several Pack Trails and Jeep Trails threading through the elevations.

Evidence of resource exploration is found in isolated Prospects and a Prospect located near Brush Creek. Life in this high-elevation backcountry was supported by numerous natural water sources, labeled as Spring and Springs throughout the quadrangle. The presence of a Corral near Willow Creek and a Ditch along the Roan Creek valley floor indicates the intersection of livestock ranching and early irrigation efforts during this era.