1953 Map of Mount Wilson

About this map

Uncompahgre National Forest and San Juan National Forest meet in this 1953 survey, a high-altitude landscape defined by early mining operations and difficult transportation routes. The industrial character of the era is evident in the presence of the Silver Pick Mine, San Bernardo Mine, and the Old Butterfly Mine, which speak to the area's extraction history along the South Fork San Miguel River. A clear logistical corridor emerges following the Rio Grande Southern Rr and the Old Railroad Grade through Lizard Head Pass, connecting small settlements like Ames and Matterhorn to the broader regional economy. Significant peaks such as Wilson Peak and the distinctive Lizard Head tower over water bodies like Trout Lake, while the High Line Stock Driveway suggests a landscape shared between industrial mining and seasonal livestock movement.