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1972 Map of Packers Gap

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Packers Gap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Packers Gap and the Shale Hills define the high terrain of this Colorado ranching landscape during the early 1970s. Situated along the boundary of Otero and Las Animas counties, the area is characterized by a complex drainage system including the East Branch Crooked Arroyo and the South Fork Jack Canyon. Human presence is sparse and utilitarian, centered around the Rourke settlement and the nearby Rourke Landing Strip, which speak to the vast distances of the region.

Tracing the transport routes reveals the Rourke Road and the Minnie Canyon Trail winding through a series of steep drainages like Bent Canyon and Iron Canyon. Landmarks such as Honeys Windmill and several remote springs underscore the critical importance of water management in this arid environment, providing essential points of interest for those researching local land use and family ranching history in southeastern Colorado.