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2016 Map of Flat Top

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

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

Gunnison National Forest dominates this high-altitude landscape, where the plateau of Flat Top gives way to a complex system of water management. The southern portion of the map reveals an intricate network of irrigation and water transport features, including the Gunnison Highline Canal and several family-named or historic conduits such as May Behm Ditch and Teachout Ditch. These man-made channels carve through the terrain alongside natural drainages like Alkali Cr and Ohio Cr, illustrating the critical role of water diversion in this part of Colorado.

Accessibility in this remote area is defined by primitive routes and trails that traverse the gulches. The Flattop Jeep Trail and Flattop Bench Trail provide passage through the forest, connecting the high points with named depressions such as Cunningham Gulch and Maggie Gulch. This 2016 survey documents the enduring spatial relationship between the protected federal lands and the infrastructure required to move water across the high desert.