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2001 Map of Rio Grande Pyramid

Name: 2001 Topographic Map of Rio Grande Pyramid
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2005
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2005

About this map

The Continental Divide snake-like through this high-altitude landscape of Hinsdale County, anchoring a terrain defined by massive peaks and glacial basins. Rising prominently in the southeast, the Rio Grande Pyramid stands as a primary landmark near the iconic geological formation known as The Window. This region is a major hydrological headwaters area, where the Rio Grande begins its descent, fed by a network of high-elevation tributaries including Sweetwater Creek and Ute Creek.

Remote backcountry access is traced through a system of historical paths such as the Bear Town Trail and the West Ute Trail, which connect isolated water bodies like Ute Lake, Black Lake, and Flint Lakes. The map also delineates the boundaries of the Weminuche Wilderness and the Rio Grande National Forest, showing a landscape largely preserved from modern development and dedicated to the natural drainage systems of Starvation Gulch and Rincon La Vaca.