1971 Map of Pipe Spring

About this map

Pipe Spring and Thompson Spring serve as critical water points in this arid stretch of the High Plains, where the border between Bent County and Baca County is defined by a simple surveyed line across the prairie. The landscape is deeply incised by a drainage network that includes Caddoa Creek, Shelton Creek, and Maverick Creek, which carve out the plateaus of southeastern Colorado. These seasonal waterways converge toward larger systems, punctuated by isolated cattle wells and a few remote communication installations indicated by Radio Tower labels. The lack of established townsites highlights the region's character as open rangeland, where named features like Mouth Waters and Little Angry Creek were vital landmarks for navigation and ranching operations during the early 1970s.