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1965 Map of Elk Park

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Elk Park
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

The Continental Divide winds through this high-altitude landscape in Saguache County, marking the transition between the Gunnison National Forest and the Rio Grande National Forest. The 1960s terrain is characterized by a dense network of watercourses, including Cochetopa Creek and the North Fork Saguache Creek, which drain the surrounding peaks and basins. To the south, the La Garita Wilderness begins, anchored by the prominent Table Mountain.

Evidence of early mountain travel and land management is visible in the numerous pack and jeep trails that crisscross the area, such as the Ignacio Park Trail. Remote landmarks like a Corral and the proximity to the Old Agency Ranger Station point to the region's history of cattle grazing and forest service oversight. The map provides a look at the natural drainage patterns of Chavez Creek and Perfecto Creek before modern environmental shifts altered these alpine ecosystems.