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2011 Map of Naturita

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Naturita
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

Naturita sits at the heart of this high-desert mining landscape, where the San Miguel River carves through the red rock country of western Colorado. The settlement pattern here is tightly linked to the river valley and uranium-vanadium mining legacy, with West Vancorum and East Vancorum established to support local operations. The map documents an extensive network of mineral extraction sites flanking the valley, including the Ute Mine, Lexington Mine, and Fiddling Bill Mine.

Beyond the river, the terrain rises into prominent features like Sawtooth Ridge and Naturita Ridge, while the Hopkins-Montrose County Airport occupies a flat bench at First Park. Irrigation infrastructure, critical for sustaining life in this arid region, is meticulously detailed through features like the Reed-Chatfield Ditch and the BCD Ditch. This 2011 survey captures the area's transition into the early 21st century, showing how modern aviation and paved routes like Highway 141 coexist with the enduring drainage patterns of Dry Creek and Naturita Creek.