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1954 Map of Signal Butte

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Signal Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Signal Butte serves as a central landmark for this portion of the Pike National Forest, where a network of gulches and creeks defines the high-altitude landscape. The map illustrates a distinctive pattern of private land use within public forest boundaries, marked by several established properties including Turkey Rock Ranch, Lost Valley Ranch, and Rideout Ranch. These ranch sites, often located near water sources like Turkey Creek and Trail Creek, highlight the era's land-management practices and the history of western ranching in Teller County.

Evidence of early administrative presence is preserved at the Old Phantom Creek Ranger Station (Site), situated near the confluence of Phantom Creek and North Fork Phantom Creek. The topography is a maze of drainage systems, from the southern reaches of Spruce Gulch and Ute Lake to northern recreation spots like Big Turkey Campground and Trail Creek Campground. This 1954 survey, updated with mid-1980s revisions, provides a look at the backcountry infrastructure of the Colorado Front Range during a period of expanding forest recreation.