2016 Map of Paonia

About this map

Paonia sits at the northern edge of this landscape, where the North Fork Gunnison River carves a valley floor dominated by an intricate network of irrigation systems including Farmers Ditch, Stewart Ditch, and Minnesota Ditch. These diversions sustain the agricultural plateaus of Stewart Mesa, Lamborn Mesa, and Bone Mesa, which stand in stark contrast to the high-elevation wilderness to the south. The transition from town life to the high country is marked by the Cedar Hill Cem and Bethlehem Cem, while further south the terrain rises sharply into the Gunnison National Forest. Here, the topography culminates at Mt Lamborn and Landsend Peak, surrounded by numerous named springs such as Stephens Spring and Bell Creek Springs. This era reveals a landscape shaped by water management, with numerous upland reservoirs like Roeber Reservoir and Inter-Ocean Reservoir supporting the valley's orchards and fields.