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1968 Map of Wagon Track Ridge

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Wagon Track Ridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

The Colorado River corridor in western Colorado is defined here by its steep canyon walls and the critical transit corridor of the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad. This 1968 survey reveals a landscape dominated by massive uplifted formations including South Shale Ridge and Wagon Track Ridge, which together create a complex system of drainage and erosion. The terrain is marked by distinctive landmarks such as Twin Peaks, Pyramid Rock, and Castle Rock, which served as natural navigational aids for those traversing the high desert.

A network of drainage features like Sulphur Gulch and Horseshoe Canyon cut through the arid plateaus, leading toward the river. Remote access during the late 1960s was maintained through a sparse system of jeep trails crossing Coon Hollow and the surrounding heights. The map also delineates the boundary between Garfield Co and Mesa Co, highlighting how the natural topography of the Book Cliffs region dictated political and logistical divisions.