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1954 Map of Elk Park

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Elk Park
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

The Continental Divide runs prominently through this 1954 survey of Jefferson County, following the high ridges of Rampart Mountain and Sheepshead Mountain. This high-altitude landscape is defined by the headwaters of the Boulder River and Bison Creek, where a network of gulches and creeks—including Kit Carson Gulch and Buffalo Gulch—drains the eastern slopes. The settlement pattern reflects the area's mid-century transit and industrial needs, anchored by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railroads that parallel the valleys.

Transportation and resource extraction dominate the local geography, with mining sites such as the Ruby Mine and Eureka Mine situated near the peaks. The map also records the recreational and social footprint of the era, from the Columbia Gardens area near McQueen to the Boy Scout Camp and various campgrounds like Bison Creek Campground. These details, alongside remote outposts like the Stockmens Assoc Cabin, document a working mountain landscape transition from extraction toward modern recreational use.