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1923 Map of Pilot Knob

Name: 1923 Topographic Map of Pilot Knob
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Routt National Forest dominates this northern Colorado landscape, where early 20th-century surveyors Albert Pike and W.F. Chenault documented a transition from high-altitude wilderness to a river-valley economy. The northern reaches include California Park and the high summit of Pilot Knob, while the southern edge is defined by the winding Yampa River. Between these points, the map reveals a scattered network of rural infrastructure, from isolated outposts like Gantts Cabin to the small community at Mystic.

Resource extraction and local education are clearly marked, showing the distribution of small-scale mining operations like the Ducey Mine and Grey Mine. The presence of Long Gulch School, Deep Creek School, and Wolf Creek School suggests a widespread homesteading population tucked into the canyons. The Denver and Salt Lake railroad corridor along the river provides a glimpse into the primary transportation artery connecting these mountain drainages to the wider region.