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1972 Map of Lost Canyon

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Lost Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Dave Wright Hill rises above a complex drainage system in this high plains region of Las Animas County during the early 1970s. The landscape is defined by the sharp incisions of Smith Canyon and Piñon Canyon, illustrating a dry-land topography where water management was critical to local life. Features like Lawson Reservoir and various unnamed Wells signify the importance of reliable water sources for cattle and ranching in the Round Prairie area.

Evidence of remote infrastructure is visible through the presence of a Landing Strip and Villegreen Road, connecting isolated ranching operations. A lone Grave located north of Smith Canyon and the notable Cottonwood Crossing suggest the long-standing human presence in this arid environment. The map captures a moment when traditional land use patterns, represented by numerous Jeep Trails, intersected with the vast, open geography of the Colorado backcountry.