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1961 Map of Phantom Lake

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Phantom Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Medicine Bow National Forest dominates this 1961 survey, revealing a landscape defined by high ridges and a dense network of mountain drainage systems. The presence of Slash Ridge Lookout atop Slash Ridge provides a glimpse into the forest fire observation infrastructure of the early 1960s. The topography is split by prominent landforms like Barrett Ridge and drained by numerous tributaries of the North Platte system, including the complex forks of French Creek and the winding South Brush Creek.

Water bodies such as Phantom Lake and the interestingly named Stamp Mill Lake and Arrastre Lake point toward the region's historical connection to early mining processes, even as the map records the area primarily as a managed wilderness. From Mullison Creek in the north to Iron Creek in the south, the map preserves the precise hydrography and trail alignments as they existed before modern recreational expansions.