1957 Map of Pagosa Junction

About this map

The San Juan River and the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad define the southern corridor of this rugged territory on the Colorado-New Mexico border. Most of the landscape is dominated by the Southern Ute Indian Reservation and the San Juan National Forest, where deep drainages like Gomez Canyon and Stinking Springs Canyon carve through high plateaus. Small settlements and points of interest such as Pagosa Junction, Juanita, and Trujillo are concentrated along the river valley, marking the primary human footprint in a terrain of mesas and gap crossings. This mid-century survey captures the region's complex land management boundaries, including the South Boundary Ute Ceded Land, while tracing the paths of the historical Navajo Trail and several remote Jeep Trails.