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2016 Map of Red Mountain

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of Red Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

The high-altitude drainage basins of the Rio Grande National Forest define this terrain, where the headwaters of the Conejos River and its numerous tributaries cut through deep gulches. Steep elevation changes are marked by prominent peaks such as Red Mountain and Willow Mountain, with the landscape transitioning into the open La Jara Meadows to the southeast. This 2016 survey documents a complex network of ridgeline and valley paths, including the Willow Mountain Trail and Empedrado Lake Trail, which connect alpine water bodies like Empedrado Lake and Rock Lake.

The surveying of township and range lines across this mountain environment reveals a landscape primarily managed for conservation and recreation. Named features like California Gulch and Rhodes Gulch suggest a history of prospecting or early ranching access, while the presence of Spencer Lake and Big Lake in the northeast indicates the importance of high-country water storage and glacial geography in Conejos County.