2016 Map of Hotchkiss Reservoir

About this map

Uncompahgre National Forest dominates this high-altitude landscape, where complex water management systems define the terrain. The map reveals an intricate network of small irrigation and stock reservoirs, including Hotchkiss Reservoir, Loss Reservoir, and Barnes Mill Reservoir, which capture runoff from the surrounding peaks. This reliance on stored water is a hallmark of Western high-country ranching and land use. Evidence of former timber activity appears near the boundary with Ouray County at a site labeled Sawdust Pile. A dense system of pack trails and forest roads, such as Horse Thief Trl and Tattletail Trl, crisscross the area, while family-named landmarks like Edmondson Spring and Stuarts Springs provide clues to early homesteaders who occupied these drainages. The convergence of Montrose and San Miguel counties in the southern portion of the sheet further marks the area's administrative complexity.