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2019 Map of Moore Mesa

Name: 2019 Topographic Map of Moore Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2019
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2019

About this map

The Uncompahgre National Forest dominates this high-altitude landscape in Montrose County, where a series of prominent mesas and deep drainage basins define the geography. Moore Mesa, Payne Mesa, and 7 N Mesa form the primary tablelands, separated by an intricate network of seasonal and permanent watercourses including Potter Cr, Traver Cr, and Kitty Cr. The topographic detail reveals a landscape managed for forest access and livestock, evidenced by numerous forest roads and spurs like the Moore Mesa-Traver Cutoff and the Little Monitor LCL.

Water resources are concentrated in specialized catchments such as Moore Basin Lake, Hilkey Pond, and Grassy Lake, which likely serve as critical points for local wildlife and grazing. The complex terrain of Criswell Basin and Tabeguache Basin illustrates the erosive power of the drainage systems feeding into the Uncompahgre Plateau. This map captures a region primarily defined by its natural topography and forest management infrastructure rather than dense permanent settlement, showing the transition between the high basins and the flat-topped ridges of the plateau.