1964 Map of Rio Grande Pyramid

About this map

The high alpine headwaters of the Rio Grande dominate this Colorado landscape, surveyed in the early 1960s before being photoinspected in the 1970s. The topography is defined by the Continental Divide, which carves through the southwestern portion of the sheet and serves as the tri-county boundary for San Juan, La Plata, and Hinsdale counties. Prominent peaks and formations like the Rio Grande Pyramid and The Window tower over a series of high-elevation basins, including Rincon La Vaca and Rincon La Osa. The map details an extensive network of primitive transportation routes, including a Stock Driveway and multiple paths like the West Ute Trail and Middle Ute Trail that connect isolated water bodies such as West Ute Lake, Twin Lakes, and Flint Lakes. These trails illustrate the historical movement of livestock and backcountry travelers through the Rio Grande National Forest and San Juan National Forest.