2016 Map of Tree Top Ranch

About this map

Tree Top Ranch serves as a central landmark in this high plains landscape of Bent County, where the agricultural economy depends on a complex network of water management features. The southern portion of the quadrangle is defined by the significant engineering of the Fort Lyon Canal and the Kicking Bird Canal, which diverted water from the Arkansas River to support local ranching and farming operations. These man-made waterways contrast with the natural drainage patterns of Gageby Cr and McRae Arroyo, illustrating the mid-20th-century transition toward intensive irrigation. In the northeast, Long Lake provides a rare perennial water source in an otherwise arid expanse. The map details the rural infrastructure of the era, from the winding paths of Miller Ditch to the straight-line reliability of Fort Lyon Canal Rd and Co RD 17.