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1915 Map of Rocky Mountain National Park

Name: 1915 Topographic Map of Rocky Mountain National Park
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The Front Range dominates this mid-century topographic record, which synthesizes original 1912–1915 surveying with road and trail updates added through 1940. While high-altitude peaks like Longs Peak and Mt Meeker define the skyline, the map reveals the evolution of water management and tourism infrastructure in north-central Colorado. The inclusion of the Granby Reservoir and Shadow Mtn Lake reflects a landscape fundamentally altered by engineering, contrasting with the high-mountain basins where Poudre Lakes and Lake Nanita remain.

Settlement patterns are anchored by Estes Park to the east and Grand Lake to the west, connected by the engineering feat of Trail Ridge Road. For local historians, smaller details like the Monarch PO and the Sleepy Hollow School provide a rare glimpse into the early 20th-century community structures that supported ranching and forestry long before the area became a destination for millions. Regional boundaries between Larimer County and Grand County underscore the logistical complexity of managing these vast federal lands.