1954 Map of Sapinero

About this map

The Sapinero settlement and the Sapinero Ranger Sta anchor this mid-century survey of the canyon country before the landscape was significantly altered by later water projects. The Gunnison River flows through the center of the sheet, carving through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and forming the early stages of Blue Mesa Lake. This period of the valley's history is marked by a network of drainage basins and high mesas, including Soap Mesa and Pine Creek Mesa, where cattle ranching left its mark at sites like the Elizondo Ranch. The map also captures the Sapinero Cemetery and various old trails and tracks marked as Abandoned, preserving the locations of early high-country transit routes and local family landmarks within the Gunnison National Forest.