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1965 Map of Squirrel Creek

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Squirrel Creek
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Gunnison National Forest dominates this mid-1960s landscape, where the high ridges of the Elk Mountains descend into a complex network of ranching and mining drainages. The mapping record reveals an extensive system of water management infrastructure, including the Highline Ditch, Acme Ditch, and Cunningham Reservoir, which supported the livestock and agriculture of the surrounding valleys. Higher elevation features like The Pie and the peaks surrounding Mill Castle Creek illustrate the challenging terrain that shaped early transportation routes.

Industrial history is preserved through the footprint of an Old Railroad Grade tracing along Ohio Creek and the Carbon Creek drainage. This rail infrastructure once served local operations like the Smith Mine and Ohio Mine, providing a window into the era's extraction-based economy. Backcountry travel is marked by established paths such as the Mill Castle Trail and various unnamed pack trails, which provided essential access to remote claims like the Hinkle Mine and the timbered slopes of the Elk Wilderness.