1966 Map of Jack Springs

About this map

Dinosaur National Monument defines the western edge of this Northwestern Colorado landscape, where the high elevation of Douglas Mountain drops toward the basin floors. The map reveals a remote ranching and grazing environment marked by numerous water sources essential for survival in this arid terrain, including Jack Springs, Strong Spring, and Dripping Rock Spring. Evidence of early settlement and land use appears at the Warrick Ranch and Basset Cabin, while a lone Grave stands as a quiet marker of the area's human history. The drainage network is dominated by Vermillion Creek and a series of deep cuts such as Conway Draw and Rye Grass Draw. This 1966 survey, later photoinspected in the early 1970s, documents the existing Jeep trails that provided the primary access through the Zenobia Basin and surrounding highlands before modern development.