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1961 Map of Encampment

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Encampment
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Encampment and its neighboring town of Riverside serve as the focal points for this high-altitude landscape where the Sierra Madre Mountains meet the valley floor. The settlement pattern here reflects a classic Western ranching and resource economy, with established properties like the Wirz Ranch, Peryam Ranch, and Oldman Ranch dotting the irrigated lands. Irrigation is central to the area's development, evidenced by an intricate network of waterways such as the Cherokee Ditch, Pacific Valley Ditch, and Wagoner Enlarged Ditch, which redirect the flow of the Encampment River.

South of the settlements, the terrain rises into the Medicine Bow National Forest, where a rugged drainage system includes Copper Creek and Cushman Creek. Evidence of early mineral exploration persists through several prospects and the presence of Tram Gulch, hinting at the region's mining heritage. From the Encampment Cem to the high-mountain Finch Cow Camp, the map documents a community deeply integrated with its hydraulic and timbered environment.