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2011 Map of Drake

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Drake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

The Big Thompson Canyon corridor dictates the movement and settlement patterns of this Front Range landscape, where the Big Thompson River and its north fork meet. Small residential clusters like Drake, Waltonia, and Midway cling to the narrow canyon floor, serviced by the Big Thompson Canyon Rd. Higher elevations reveal a different character of land use, from the recreational access at Round Mountain Trailhead to the industrial history represented by the Hyatt Mine and mining interests like the Hide-a-way Claim.

Water management is central to the area's development, evidenced by the Idylwilde Dam on the main river and the Cedar Springs Dam creating the Cedar Springs Reservoir to the north. Local infrastructure also includes the Colorado State Fish Hatchery near the river junction. The steep topography is named through numerous gulches and mountains, including Palisade Mountain and Sheep Mountain, which separate the river settlements from high-country parks like Galuchie Park and Cedar Park.