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2022 Map of Zapata Ranch

Name: 2022 Topographic Map of Zapata Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2022
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2022

About this map

Great Sand Dunes National Park and the adjacent Great Sand Dunes National Preserve dominate this high-altitude landscape where the Sangre de Cristo Mountains meet the San Luis Valley. The map documents a complex network of hydrological features and drainage patterns, from the Medano Cr in the north to the various branches of Zapata Creek, including Middle Zapata Cr Lake tucked high against Sheep Ridge.

Evidence of early ranching and transit is found in the presence of Medano Ranch and the historic Mosca Pass, a vital mountain crossing. Genealogists and local historians will find the Urraca Cem near Tellurium Gulch particularly noteworthy, marking a site of early settlement near the base of the mountains. The area's transition from open valley to protected federal lands is further detailed through the boundaries of the Rio Grande National Forest and numerous named canyons like Raspberry Canyon and Axtel Canyon.