Published in 1983 from 1982 mapping, the United States Geological Survey’s “Canon City, Colorado” presents a richly detailed portrait of south-central Colorado at a moment when its mountain towns, river corridors, roads, reservoirs, and recreational lands were being carefully documented for modern use. At a scale of 1:100,000, the map balances regional breadth with topographic precision, encompassing Canon City, Westcliffe, the Arkansas River corridor, and the dramatic uplifts and valleys that define this part of the state. Its color-coded design distinguishes water, terrain, transport, settlement, and public land with the disciplined clarity for which USGS cartography is admired. Contour lines animate the landscape, transforming the map into a readable model of elevation, slope, and geological character.

The USGS, established in the late nineteenth century to survey and classify the nation’s lands and resources, brought scientific rigor and visual authority to maps such as this. By the early 1980s, its topographic sheets had become indispensable tools for engineers, land managers, hikers, geologists, planners, and local communities. This map reflects that institutional purpose: it is both utilitarian and quietly elegant, offering an exacting synthesis of natural form and human occupation. Roads, railways, trails, reservoirs, towns, and boundaries are set into a landscape governed by ridgelines, drainages, and relief. The legend and standardized symbology make the region legible, while the density of information rewards sustained looking, revealing how settlement and movement adapt to Colorado’s demanding terrain.

At the heart of the map’s visual drama are the mountains and valleys surrounding Westcliffe and Canon City. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains rise to the west as one of Colorado’s most striking ranges, their serrated topography captured through close, rhythmic contouring. Valleys open below the peaks, forming corridors of ranchland, travel, and settlement, while forested uplands and hill country create a varied, textured landscape. The map’s contours do more than indicate height; they convey the lived difficulty and grandeur of the region, showing where roads bend around slopes, where streams gather from high country, and where communities occupy the gentler basins between formidable walls of rock and timbered ridges.

Water is a defining presence throughout the map, from the Arkansas River near Canon City to the Huerfano River and the reservoirs and creeks that thread the surrounding country. Lake DeWeese, north of Westcliffe, appears as both a practical water resource and a recreational landmark within a broader network of drainages. The Arkansas River corridor, long significant as a route of travel, settlement, and industry, anchors the eastern portion of the mapped area, tying Canon City to the wider history of Colorado transportation and development. Smaller waterways reveal the logic of the land: descending from mountains, carving valleys, feeding reservoirs, and shaping where roads, trails, farms, and settlements could take hold.

As a historical document of the early 1980s, “Canon City, Colorado” preserves a valuable snapshot of regional geography, infrastructure, and land use before subsequent decades of growth and change. Major highways, local roads, railways, trails, parks, recreational areas, forested tracts, and historical sites are all integrated into a coherent topographic framework. The result is a map that speaks to multiple histories at once: the geological making of the Rockies, the settlement of mountain valleys, the development of transport corridors, and the expanding recreational identity of Colorado. For collectors, it offers more than place names and elevations; it captures a precise moment in the evolving relationship between people, water, mountains, and the enduring landscapes of the American West.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Westcliffe
• Canon City
• Arkansas River
• Sangre de Cristo Mountains
• Huerfano River
• Various trails and roads
• Reservoirs, including Lake DeWeese
• Parks and recreational areas
• Historical landmarks within the mapped area
• Forested regions
• Valleys and hills
• Railways and major highways

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a U.S. government scientific agency known for accurate topographical mapping.
• Historical 1:100,000-scale topographical map dated 1982, with a 1983 imprint.
• Uses distinct color coding and symbols to show elevation contours, water bodies, man-made structures, and other mapped features.
• Includes a legend explaining the cartographic symbols used throughout the map.
• Incorporates contour lines to show elevation changes and the mountainous terrain of Colorado.
• Provides insight into the geography and infrastructure of the area as it appeared in the early 1980s.
• Useful for understanding changes in land use, development, and natural features over time.

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 36x24in (90x60cm) 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.