1960 Map of Devils Gulch

About this map

Akin Ranch and several family-named windmills anchor this high-altitude landscape along the border of Custer and Huerfano counties. The area is defined by the Promontory Divide, a significant ridge separating various gulches that carve through the Wet Mountain Valley. Human activity in the early 1960s is evidenced by a network of jeep trails and scattered agricultural infrastructure, such as Hess Windmill, Oaks Windmill, and Cordrey Windmill. To the south, the terrain drops into the San Isabel National Forest, where the headwaters of North Muddy Creek and South Muddy Creek converge near Bradford. The presence of several prospects along Moss Gulch suggests a history of mineral exploration in these canyons, while numerous named springs like Froze Creek Spring and Troyer Spring highlight the critical role of water sources in this arid ranching environment.