Loading map...

2019 Map of West Elk Peak

Name: 2019 Topographic Map of West Elk Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2019
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2019

About this map

Gunnison National Forest encompasses the high-altitude terrain of this Colorado quadrangle, defined by the towering West Elk Peak and the unique rock formations known as The Castles. The landscape is a network of alpine basins and drainages, including Soap Basin, West Elk Basin, and Mill Basin, which feed the various forks of Beaver Creek and Castle Cr. The distribution of high peaks like North Baldy Mtn and South Baldy Mtn illustrates the complex topography of the West Elk Mountains.

Strategic passage through this terrain is recorded along Storm Pass, while the lower elevations show the adaptation of water resources through the Highline Ditch. Access routes such as Rainbow Lake and Mill Castle indicate established paths through these protected lands, where deep incisions like Buck Hollow and Deep Hollow highlight the dramatic vertical relief found in the heart of the national forest.