1984 Map of Gunnison

About this map

The Sawatch Range and the Elk Mountains dominate this 1984 study, defined by the high-altitude divide separating the Arkansas River and Gunnison River watersheds. The Continental Divide winds through the center of the sheet, surrounded by some of Colorado's highest peaks, including Mount Harvard, Mount Yale, and Mount Princeton. Higher-elevation settlements such as Tincup, Pitkin, and St Elmo are documented alongside established valley centers like Gunnison and Salida. In the southwest, Western State College stands at the edge of the Gunnison township, while the Taylor Park Reservoir serves as a major hydrologic feature in the central highlands. Transportation through these mountain passes is anchored by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad and major routes like U S 50, illustrating the connectivity between the ranching and mining communities of the western slope and the commercial hubs of the Arkansas Valley.