2013 Map of Gilpin

About this map

Gilpin stands as a focal point in this high plains landscape of Bent County, where the agricultural economy is etched into the earth through irrigation works like Eagle Rock Ditch. The terrain is defined by a series of named elevations and depressions, including Ninemile Hill and Getchel Hill, which overlook the expansive Heinan Flats. To the northwest, the Purgatoire River winds through the Picketwire Valley, a landform that has historically dictated settlement patterns and movement across this portion of Colorado. The map reveals a highly structured grid of county roads, such as Co Road BB and Co-101, which navigate between prominent natural drainage features like Smith Draw and Penrose Draw. This network illustrates the late 20th and early 21st-century management of a landscape where water rights and cattle grazing are central to the regional identity.