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1951 Map of Helena

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Helena
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The North Fork Trinity River and its rugged tributaries define this mid-century look at the gold-mining history of the Trinity National Forest. The map documents a landscape transitioning from active extraction to memory, marking formerly significant settlements as Canyon City (Site) and Coleridge (Site). The concentration of hard-rock mining is evident along the eastern gulches, where claims like the Alaska Mine, Enterprise Mine, and Mason & Thayer Mine are recorded alongside the Dedrick Lookout.

Transportation in this area was largely dictated by the steep terrain of Backbone Ridge and the Manzanita Flat, with a notable Tunnel and various crossings like Woodruff Crossing providing essential links. Further north, the landscape shifts toward high-elevation alpine features, including Thompson Peak, Wedding Cake, and the Canyon Creek Lakes. These points, along with established camps such as Hobo Gulch Camp and Ripstein Camp, illustrate the remote nature of 1950s Trinity County.