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2013 Map of Sparks

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of Sparks
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

Sparks serves as the focal point of this high-plateau landscape in northwestern Colorado, where remote ranching outposts and ephemeral water sources define the human geography. The map illustrates a network of isolated homesteads and camps, including Elk Ranch, Station Ranch, and Sugarloaf Camp, scattered among the drainages of Talamantes Creek and Fisher Creek. The topography is dominated by dramatic elevation changes, notably the rise of Cold Spring Mountain and the prominent Limestone Ridge to the south.

Strategic water management is evident through features like the Arthurs-NS Creek Reservoir and Fish Reservoirs, essential for livestock in this arid environment. The naming of the land reflects a mix of utilitarian and colorful local history, from the wide expanses of G Flats and G Meadows to curiously named landmarks such as Harry Holy Bottom and Hanging Tree Draw. Local travel is facilitated by rural routes like CO Road 10 N, which winds through the canyons and flats connecting these distant settlements.