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1960 Map of Red Canyon

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Red Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Dolores River carves a deep, winding path through this corner of Montrose and Mesa Counties, defining a landscape dominated by high plateau mesas and narrow canyons. During this era of post-war mineral exploration, the territory was heavily marked by mining activity, particularly along the canyon walls and mesa edges. Prospectors and mining companies established numerous claims here, including the Tulla Belle Mine, Golden Cycle Mine, and the Lucky Day Mine.

Remote outposts like Club Ranch provided a rare point of habitation in the river valley, while an Airstrip on the heights of Lone Tree Mesa suggests the importance of aerial access for surveying or transport in this difficult terrain. The map records a complex network of topographical features from Carpenter Flats to the tiered reaches of Atkinson Mesa, providing a detailed record of the land just as modern industrial interest in the region's mineral wealth was intensifying.