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1963 Map of Hermosa

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Hermosa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The Animas River valley serves as a primary corridor for transportation and industry north of Durango in the early 1960s. The Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad follows the river's path, connecting small settlements like Rockwood, Hermosa, and Trimble. This rail line and the valley floor are flanked by the steep rising slopes of the San Juan National Forest and the prominent Missionary Ridge to the east.

Land use is a mixture of small-scale agriculture and resource extraction, evidenced by the Reid Ditch irrigation network and various prospects and a Quarry near Rockwood. Local history is anchored by landmarks such as the Hermosa Cem and the Spruce Haven Camp. The map also captures several high-altitude water bodies, including Shalona Lake and the Mitchell Lakes, which feed into the complex system of mountain creeks like Hermosa Creek and Elbert Creek.