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1968 Map of La Garita

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of La Garita
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

La Garita and the surrounding high desert of Saguache County are defined by a complex irrigation network vital to the San Luis Valley's agricultural history. This 1968 survey illustrates a landscape of precision engineering where the Rio Grande Canal, Farmers Union Canal, and Main North Canal distribute water across an otherwise arid plain. Smaller waterways like Lateral 5 A branch off to serve individual farm plots, contrasting with the natural, winding paths of Carnero Creek and La Garita Creek.

Evidence of early aviation and industrial activity is visible via the remote Landing Strip and several Gravel Pit excavations. The terrain shifts from the level canal-fed fields in the east toward the more varied topography of Mogotes Arroyo and Wilson Arroyo in the west. These features collectively document a mid-century reliance on hydraulic management and localized resource extraction within this high-altitude basin.