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1965 Map of Medano Ranch

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Medano Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Medano Ranch serves as a central hub in this high-altitude basin, where the hydrologic patterns of the San Luis Valley are meticulously recorded during the mid-1960s. The landscape is defined by its terminal lakes and artesian features, most notably the wide expanse of San Luis Lake and the nearby Head Lake. Numerous Flowing Wells and the isolated King Well dot the terrain, indicating the reliance on groundwater in this arid environment.

Along the eastern edge, the topography shifts dramatically toward the Sand Dunes at the boundary of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Watercourses like Big Spring Creek and Little Spring Creek weave through the valley floor, eventually feeding into the complex of Twin Lakes, Cotton Lake, and Dollar Lake. A network of primitive Jeep Trails provides the only passage through this area of shifting sands and seasonal wetlands.