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1967 Map of Medano Pass

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Medano Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Medano Pass serves as a critical high-altitude junction in this late 1960s survey, marking the intersection of the Huerfano and Saguache county lines. The landscape is defined by the meeting of three major federal jurisdictions: the Rio Grande National Forest, San Isabel National Forest, and the eastern fringes of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. The settlement of Ziegler and various prospects suggest the history of resource exploration in the high country, where the terrain is carved by complex drainages like Medano Creek and its many branches.

Industrial and geological features are interspersed with peaks such as Mount Seven and Mount Zwischen. A network of primitive transport routes, including a Jeep Trail and Pack Trail, underscores the area's isolation and its reliance on seasonal access. From the heights of Castle Canyon to the seasonal waters of Dry Lake, the map captures a transition between the high forest and the edge of the distinctive dune fields.