2011 Map of Elk Creek

About this map

Hermosa Creek serves as the central drainage for this high-elevation terrain in La Plata County, joined by numerous tributaries including Big Lick Creek and East Cross Creek. The landscape is defined by its drainage systems and notable depressions such as North Hole and South Hole. The high-country character is further evidenced by named landmarks like Hermosa Park in the north and the deep Blind Canyon near the center of the sheet. Unlike maps of lower-lying areas, the lack of traditional town sites and roads reflects the primitive nature of this geography, where transport is often limited to paths following features like Corral Draw or Lone Spruce Draw. Researchers will find a detailed look at the hydrology feeding into the South Fork Hermosa Creek, as it was documented in the early twenty-first century.