1965 Map of Hells Kitchen

About this map

Grand Mesa National Forest defines the rugged high-elevation terrain where the borders of Mesa and Delta Counties meet. This 1965 field-checked survey reveals an extensive water management network of small high-country reservoirs and ditches, including the Granby Reservoirs and the Flowing Park Reservoir. These systems, connected by features like the Dirty George Creek and Doughspoon Aqueduct, were vital for directing mountain runoff to lower elevations. Small-scale industrial activity is evident in the scattered mining operations across the slopes, such as the Rollins Mine near Beebe Creek and the Fairview Mine located north of Hells Kitchen. For the local historian or outdoorsman, the map traces numerous pack trails like the Bull and Brown Trail, which once provided the primary access for livestock and early resource extraction across this complex landscape of creeks and canyons.