Loading map...

2016 Map of La Jara Canyon

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of La Jara Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

The Rio Grande National Forest dominates this landscape, where the high-altitude hydrology of the San Luis Valley is on full display. The northern boundary is defined by La Jara Reservoir, with the drainage of La Jara Cr carving southward through La Jara Canyon and past Big Meadows. The map reveals a complex network of forest access routes like FDR 249 RD and FDR 101 RD that connect the various lakes and bogs of this subalpine environment.

Water management and natural drainage patterns are central to this area, as seen in the presence of Chicago Bogs and the smaller Bluebird Reservoir. In the southern portion of the quadrangle, the terrain transitions toward the Conejos River valley, marked by the prominent Alamaditas Mesa. Hikers and hunters can trace the Hidden Lake Trail as it winds through the high country toward Hidden Lake, illustrating the recreational and ecological character of these public lands.