Published in 1984 using survey data from 1967, the US Geological Survey’s “Ridgway” presents a finely resolved 1:24,000 topographic portrait of one of western Colorado’s most evocative mountain-valley settings. Centered on the town of Ridgway, the map captures a landscape shaped by the meeting of settlement, river corridor, and high-country terrain at the northern edge of the San Juan Mountains. Its original title is spare and authoritative, in the USGS tradition, naming the quadrangle simply for its principal place. Within that modest title lies a dense record of elevation, drainage, roads, trails, and landforms—an exacting snapshot of Ridgway and its surroundings at a moment before later decades of growth, recreation, and conservation reshaped the region.

The US Geological Survey brought to this map the disciplined visual language that made its quadrangles indispensable to scientists, planners, engineers, hikers, and historians. Shades of green and brown organize vegetation and relief, while contour lines translate the surrounding terrain into a legible rhythm of slopes, ridges, valleys, and peaks. Blue waterways trace the hydrological structure of the region, and varying line styles distinguish roads, tracks, and trails with practical clarity. At 1:24,000 scale, the map offers an intimate view of the land: close enough to read the folds of the mountains and the course of local travel, yet broad enough to understand Ridgway’s relationship to the wider Uncompahgre country.

Ridgway itself occupies a historically important position along the Uncompahgre River, a corridor that has long linked ranching lands, transportation routes, and the mining districts of the San Juan region. The map’s depiction of the river and its tributaries reveals how water organizes life in this semi-arid mountain environment, gathering from high slopes and carving through valleys that encouraged settlement and movement. Nearby roads and trails hint at the layered uses of the landscape: local access, recreational passage, ranch routes, and connections toward higher terrain. Seen today, the map becomes a record of infrastructure and land use before many modern changes, preserving an earlier geographic memory of the Ridgway area.

The surrounding San Juan Mountains lend the map much of its drama. Contours tighten around hillsides and ridges, opening into valleys where settlement and travel become possible, then gathering again toward steeper ground and higher elevations. Owl Creek Pass, part of the broader mountain geography associated with the Ridgway area, evokes the rugged passages that connect western Colorado’s basins and uplands. Elevation labels and carefully drawn relief reveal a landscape of sharp contrasts: river bottoms, benches, slopes, and peaks all compressed into a compact quadrangle. This is the sort of map that rewards close reading, where each line suggests the physical experience of ascent, descent, exposure, and shelter.

As a historical document, “Ridgway” is especially compelling because it preserves the region through survey information gathered in 1967 and formalized for publication in 1984. Those dates frame a period of change in Colorado’s mountain West, when traditional ranching and mining legacies increasingly intersected with outdoor recreation, scenic conservation, and expanding residential interest. Ridgway State Park and the surrounding recreational landscape give the map additional resonance, marking an area now valued as much for leisure and environmental beauty as for older patterns of work and transit. Elegant, precise, and information-rich, this USGS quadrangle offers both a practical topographic record and a quietly beautiful study of Colorado’s high-country terrain.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Ridgway
• Ridgway State Park
• Uncompahgre River
• San Juan Mountains
• Owl Creek Pass
• Various landforms indicated by contour lines, including hills, valleys, and ridges
• Trails and roads, depicted by different line styles
• Streams and water bodies, shown with blue lines
• Notable peaks, identified with elevation labels
• Areas labeled for mining, if applicable, based on historical context

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map focused on Ridgway, Colorado and its surrounding area
• Based on survey data from 1967 and published in 1984
• The USGS is renowned for accurate topographic maps used for government, academic, recreational, land-use planning, scientific research, and outdoor navigation purposes
• Uses shades of green and brown to represent varying elevations and vegetation, a common USGS topographic convention
• Contour lines illustrate elevation changes and reveal the region’s mountainous landscape, including valleys and peaks
• Reflects changes in land use and natural features since its creation, including possible developments in infrastructure, population, and conservation
• Includes standard cartographic elements such as a scale bar, compass rose, and legend for interpreting map symbols

Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.

Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.

Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.

With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.