1966 Map of Rifle Falls

About this map

White River National Forest encompasses this Garfield County landscape, where the waters of East Rifle Creek flow south toward the Rifle Gap Reservoir. This mid-century survey shows a region deeply connected to land management and outdoor infrastructure, anchored by the Rifle Falls State Recreation Area and the Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery. The presence of a Community Building and various Mines and Prospects indicate small-scale industrial activity and civic gathering points amidst the high-altitude terrain. Land use patterns are further defined by water management features like the Grass Valley Canal and irrigation structures such as the West Elk Reservoir. Across Coulter Mesa and into the timbered draws of Sawmill Gulch and Huffman Gulch, the map details a network of canyons and plateaus that supported both recreation and ranching, evidenced by remote labels like Spring Cow Camp.