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2016 Map of Escalante Forks

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of Escalante Forks
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

Escalante Forks sits at the confluence of several major drainages on the edge of the Uncompahgre National Forest in Mesa County. The landscape is defined by a series of steep gulches and high mesas, where features like Steamboat Mesa and Long Mesa provide significant topographic relief. Water sources are critical in this arid high-country environment, documented here by Steamboat Spring, The Lake, and the perennial flows of Little Dominguez Cr and N Fork Escalante Cr.

Evidence of historical access and ranching heritage is found in the naming of drainages and landmarks such as Barklay Cabin Gulch and Bennetts Basin. The map traces various ridges and trails, including Black Point Trail and the descriptive Sowbelly Ridge, which characterize the difficult travel through these canyonlands. This survey illustrates the intricate drainage systems and named gulches, such as Palmer Gulch and Tatum Gulch, that feed into the Escalante Creek watershed.