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1973 Map of Escalante Forks

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Escalante Forks
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Escalante Forks sits at the junction of remote drainage systems and rugged plateau terrain within the Uncompahgre National Forest during the early 1970s. The landscape is defined by its high mesas and deep gulches, where cattle ranching and early travel routes like the Gunnison Palmer Trail and the Mc Carty Trail cross the territory. Settlements are sparse, represented by the small outpost at Remlap and the eponymous forks.

Water sources are critical to this high-country environment, with Steamboat Spring and The Lake providing rare landmarks among the complex drainages of Little Dominguez Creek and Escalante Creek. The topography features distinct named landforms like Steamboat Mesa and Sowbelly Ridge, illustrating the geological character of the western slope. These features, along with names like Bennetts Basin, reflect the local history of land use and surveying in this corner of Mesa and Delta counties.