1967 Map of Fort Garland SW

About this map

The Sangre De Cristo Grant dominates this landscape in Costilla County, where the transition from the Basaltic Hills to the valley floor is defined by a complex irrigation network. Essential to the high-altitude ranching and agriculture of the late 1960s, waterways like the Trinchera Canal, Highline Canal, and No 3 Ditch snake across the terrain to support local land use. The map reveals specialized infrastructure such as the Escheman Landing Strips, signifying the reliance on light aircraft in this expansive terrain. To the southeast, the Willow Creek Reservoir sits tucked against rising elevations, connected to the lower plains by a Jeep Trail and seasonal watercourses like Ojito Creek. This survey captures the region just before modern development patterns began to shift the traditional land grants of the San Luis Valley.