1969 Map of Lay SE

About this map

Lay Creek and its southern tributaries wind through this high-altitude landscape of northwest Colorado, where mid-century energy exploration left a distinct imprint on the terrain. Mapping conducted by the Geological Survey in the late 1960s documents a series of Oil Wells and exploratory Drill Holes concentrated along the breaks of Big Gulch. The sparse network of unimproved roads and scattered water sources, such as the Flowing Well in the northern hills, suggests a ranching environment increasingly shaped by the industrial search for natural resources. This survey serves as a precise record of the regional drainage patterns, including the headwaters of the North Fork, just before the further expansion of energy infrastructure in the Green River Basin.