2016 Map of Ruin Canyon

About this map

Ruin Canyon and its many sister drainages carve through the high plateau of Montezuma County, illustrating the complex topography of the Colorado-Utah border region. The landscape is defined by its deep, winding canyons like Papoose Canyon, Cross Canyon, and Hovenweep Canyon, separated by elevated landforms such as The Island and Squaw Point. This network of canyons and points is bisected by the Dolores and Montezuma County line. Local history and early settlement patterns are visible through features like Sylvan Cem in the east and Cross Canyon Spring to the south. The mapping of modern roads such as Co RD 8 and the descriptively named Grandpa's Trl shows how contemporary infrastructure has been superimposed over a geography shaped by ancient hydrological forces.