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1958 Map of Observatory Rock

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Observatory Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Bordenville (Site) serves as a primary historical anchor in this high-altitude landscape within the Pike National Forest. The settlement pattern recorded here in the late 1950s highlights a dispersed ranching economy, with family-named operations such as Johnston Ranch, Ingram Ranch, Miller Ranch, and Highfill Ranch situated along the drainage systems of Tarryall Creek and its many gulches. The presence of a dedicated Schoolhouse and the Bordenville Cem suggests a once-centralized community hub that had largely transitioned to a series of working ranch sites by this era.

Terrain features are dominated by deep incisions like Graveyard Gulch, Old House Gulch, and Rock Creek Gulch, all converging toward the central valley floor. High points such as Observatory Rock and Mud Hill provide vantage points over the complex network of springs, including Lone Chimney Spring and Robbins Spring, which were vital for livestock in this mountain environment. Travel through the region was facilitated by the winding Lost Park Road, connecting these remote ranching outposts to the broader Colorado wilderness.