1967 Map of Spectacle Lake

About this map

The Conejos River carves a deep valley through the Rio Grande National Forest, serving as the primary corridor for movement and seasonal settlement in this high-altitude landscape. During the late 1960s, human activity was concentrated along this river shelf, evidenced by the Thomas Ranch and recreational outposts like Rocky Mountain Lodge and Rainbow Trout Lodge. The map documents a network of primitive transportation routes, including the Conejos Trail (Pack) and the Conejos Stock Driveway (Pack), which highlight the area's history of livestock movement and back-country access. Water features are abundant and diverse, ranging from high alpine basins like Rugbalid Lake and Hourglass Lake to the unusual Chicago Bogs in the northeast. Dramatic terrain markers such as The Pinnacles and Black Mountain define the horizon of this remote wilderness area.