Loading map...

1956 Map of Spinney Mountain

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Spinney Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The South Platte River winds through the high-altitude basin of Park County in this mid-century survey, just as the landscape was being reshaped by water management projects. The massive Elevenmile Canyon Reservoir dominates the eastern half of the map, held back by a spillway at 8,561 feet. Cattle ranching heritage is central to this area, represented by the distinct Hartsel Ranch (Lower Spinney Unit) and Hartsel Ranch (Rogers Unit) located near the river and Pruden Mountain.

Evidence of earlier transportation networks persists through the Old Railroad Grade following the riverbank, a relic of the lines that once serviced South Park's mining and ranching economy. The terrain rises sharply toward the northeast into the Puma Hills and Stoll Mountain within the Pike National Forest, while Spinney Mtn stands as a prominent landmark to the northwest. This map captures a moment before further damming altered the flow of the South Platte through this specific mountain valley.