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1967 Map of Summitville

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Summitville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Summitville sits at the heart of this high-altitude landscape, a historic mining hub where the Wightman Fork begins its descent through the Rio Grande National Forest. The 1960s terrain is heavily marked by the region's industrial heritage, featuring a concentration of named subterranean operations including the Chandler Tunnel, French Tunnel, and Iowa Tunnel. These features, clustered near South Mountain, represent the significant gold and silver exploration that shaped the San Juan Mountains.

South of the mining district, the Alamosa River flows through Government Park, a relatively level stretch of ground before the terrain rises sharply toward Telluride Mountain. The map also captures several high-elevation water bodies like Kerr Lake and the Crystal Lakes, alongside evidence of grazing and early recreation at Hutchison Corral and Stunner Campground. This area’s transition from intensive extraction to forest management is evident in the network of jeep trails and pipelines that crisscross the steep slopes of Grayback Mountain and Elephant Mountain.