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1964 Map of Paonia Reservoir

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Paonia Reservoir
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Paonia Reservoir serves as the focal point of this mid-1960s survey, marking the confluence where Muddy Creek and Anthracite Creek meet to form the North Fork Gunnison River. The landscape is dominated by the high-elevation terrain of the Gunnison National Forest, featuring prominent landforms like Marcellina Mountain and the expansive Snowshoe Mesa. This era shows a transition in land use, where rugged mountain trails and early jeep tracks connect isolated outposts like the Snowshoe Cabin and the Anthracite Creek Guard Station.

Evidence of local ranching and early mountain management is visible through labels like the Hotchkiss Ranch and Erickson Springs. The map meticulously details the drainage network, from Deep Creek to Coyote Gulch, which carved the steep canyons that define this portion of Gunnison County. The presence of numerous benchmarks, such as BM 6760, highlights the detailed topographic work required to map these complex slopes and mesas before modern development.