Rare Old Map of Estes Park, Colorado by USGS, 1961 – Rocky Mountain National Park & Bear Lake
Restored in our London workshop from the original 1978 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored from the original 1978 map and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
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Published with a 1978 imprint from 1961 survey work, the US Geological Survey’s “Estes Park” presents one of Colorado’s most celebrated mountain...
Continue readingPublished with a 1978 imprint from 1961 survey work, the US Geological Survey’s “Estes Park” presents one of Colorado’s most celebrated mountain gateways with the precision and restraint that define American topographic mapping. At 1:24,000 scale, it captures the town of Estes Park and its immediate alpine surroundings in remarkable detail, balancing civic settlement with the immense natural architecture of the Front Range. Contour lines gather tightly around ridges, passes, and summits, while greens and browns distinguish forested slopes, open terrain, and high country. The result is both a practical field document and a historical portrait: Estes Park before later waves of development, tourism infrastructure, and changing patterns of land use reshaped portions of the valley.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map nearly a century of institutional expertise in measuring, classifying, and depicting the American landscape. Founded in 1879, the USGS became the nation’s authoritative source for topographic knowledge, producing maps that served engineers, land managers, hikers, scientists, and local communities alike. In this Estes Park sheet, that tradition is evident in the disciplined treatment of elevation, hydrography, roads, trails, and boundaries. Every contour expresses the steepness and structure of the terrain, transforming the dramatic scenery of Rocky Mountain National Park into a legible system of lines. The map’s aesthetic is understated but deeply elegant: a cartographic language of accuracy, proportion, and purpose.
Rocky Mountain National Park dominates the western and southern portions of the map, with familiar names that evoke both wilderness and early park history. Bear Lake, Fern Lake, Glacier Creek, Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park, and Upper Beaver Meadows appear within a landscape shaped by ice, water, and altitude. Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road trace human routes through terrain otherwise governed by slopes, drainages, and ridgelines. Moraine Park Campground and the indicated trails reveal the area’s established recreational importance by the mid-twentieth century, while the careful depiction of roads and viewpoints speaks to the park’s dual identity as protected wilderness and accessible national treasure.
The surrounding mountains give the sheet much of its drama. Mount Durrance, McGregor Mountain, Deer Mountain, Flattop Mountain, and nearby highlands rise through dense contouring, their forms made intelligible by the map’s fine gradations of elevation. Rivers and creeks thread through the composition: Fall River, the Big Thompson River, Glacier Creek, and the North and South St. Vrain Creeks mark the valleys and watersheds that structure movement through the region. Features such as Dunraven Pass, Lily Lake, and the Alluvial Fan add further geographical richness, linking the map to the natural processes of erosion, deposition, and mountain hydrology that continue to define the Estes Park landscape.
As a historical document, this map is especially valuable for showing Estes Park at a moment when the town’s relationship with the national park, regional highways, and outdoor recreation was firmly established but not yet transformed by later expansion. US Highway 34, park roads, campgrounds, and trails indicate the infrastructure of access, while the open spaces around them suggest an earlier pattern of settlement and land management. For collectors, the appeal lies not only in the beauty of the Rocky Mountains but in the map’s ability to freeze a particular era of Colorado’s high country. It is a finely composed record of terrain, tourism, conservation, and place.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Estes Park
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Mount Durrance
- McGregor Mountain
- Flattop Mountain
- Bear Lake
- Moraine Park
- Fall River
- Horseshoe Park
- Old Fall River Road
- Colorado River
- Glacier Creek
- Deer Mountain
- Fern Lake
- Alluvial Fan
- Lily Lake
- Big Thompson River
- South St. Vrain Creek
- North St. Vrain Creek
- Upper Beaver Meadows
- Dunraven Pass
- Trail Ridge Road
- Campgrounds indicated, including Moraine Park Campground
- US Highway 34
- Various hiking trails and notable viewpoints
Historical context & cartographic details
- Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Estes Park, Colorado and the surrounding area.
- Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS), known for its extensive mapping and geological research across the United States.
- Dated 1961, with a 1978 imprint.
- Features detailed topographical lines indicating elevation changes.
- Uses greens and browns to represent different terrain types.
- Shows hilly and mountainous terrain typical of the Rocky Mountains.
- Provides a clear representation of elevation variations and natural features.
- Illustrates the Estes Park area before significant later urban development.
- Useful for tracking changes in land use and natural resource management over subsequent decades.
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.
Published with a 1978 imprint from 1961 survey work, the US Geological Survey’s “Estes Park” presents one of Colorado’s most celebrated mountain gateways with the precision and restraint that define American topographic mapping. At 1:24,000 scale, it captures the town of Estes Park and its immediate alpine surroundings in remarkable detail, balancing civic settlement with the immense natural architecture of the Front Range. Contour lines gather tightly around ridges, passes, and summits, while greens and browns distinguish forested slopes, open terrain, and high country. The result is both a practical field document and a historical portrait: Estes Park before later waves of development, tourism infrastructure, and changing patterns of land use reshaped portions of the valley.
The US Geological Survey brought to this map nearly a century of institutional expertise in measuring, classifying, and depicting the American landscape. Founded in 1879, the USGS became the nation’s authoritative source for topographic knowledge, producing maps that served engineers, land managers, hikers, scientists, and local communities alike. In this Estes Park sheet, that tradition is evident in the disciplined treatment of elevation, hydrography, roads, trails, and boundaries. Every contour expresses the steepness and structure of the terrain, transforming the dramatic scenery of Rocky Mountain National Park into a legible system of lines. The map’s aesthetic is understated but deeply elegant: a cartographic language of accuracy, proportion, and purpose.
Rocky Mountain National Park dominates the western and southern portions of the map, with familiar names that evoke both wilderness and early park history. Bear Lake, Fern Lake, Glacier Creek, Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park, and Upper Beaver Meadows appear within a landscape shaped by ice, water, and altitude. Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road trace human routes through terrain otherwise governed by slopes, drainages, and ridgelines. Moraine Park Campground and the indicated trails reveal the area’s established recreational importance by the mid-twentieth century, while the careful depiction of roads and viewpoints speaks to the park’s dual identity as protected wilderness and accessible national treasure.
The surrounding mountains give the sheet much of its drama. Mount Durrance, McGregor Mountain, Deer Mountain, Flattop Mountain, and nearby highlands rise through dense contouring, their forms made intelligible by the map’s fine gradations of elevation. Rivers and creeks thread through the composition: Fall River, the Big Thompson River, Glacier Creek, and the North and South St. Vrain Creeks mark the valleys and watersheds that structure movement through the region. Features such as Dunraven Pass, Lily Lake, and the Alluvial Fan add further geographical richness, linking the map to the natural processes of erosion, deposition, and mountain hydrology that continue to define the Estes Park landscape.
As a historical document, this map is especially valuable for showing Estes Park at a moment when the town’s relationship with the national park, regional highways, and outdoor recreation was firmly established but not yet transformed by later expansion. US Highway 34, park roads, campgrounds, and trails indicate the infrastructure of access, while the open spaces around them suggest an earlier pattern of settlement and land management. For collectors, the appeal lies not only in the beauty of the Rocky Mountains but in the map’s ability to freeze a particular era of Colorado’s high country. It is a finely composed record of terrain, tourism, conservation, and place.
Cities, towns and places on this map
- Estes Park
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Mount Durrance
- McGregor Mountain
- Flattop Mountain
- Bear Lake
- Moraine Park
- Fall River
- Horseshoe Park
- Old Fall River Road
- Colorado River
- Glacier Creek
- Deer Mountain
- Fern Lake
- Alluvial Fan
- Lily Lake
- Big Thompson River
- South St. Vrain Creek
- North St. Vrain Creek
- Upper Beaver Meadows
- Dunraven Pass
- Trail Ridge Road
- Campgrounds indicated, including Moraine Park Campground
- US Highway 34
- Various hiking trails and notable viewpoints
Historical context & cartographic details
- Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Estes Park, Colorado and the surrounding area.
- Produced by the US Geological Survey (USGS), known for its extensive mapping and geological research across the United States.
- Dated 1961, with a 1978 imprint.
- Features detailed topographical lines indicating elevation changes.
- Uses greens and browns to represent different terrain types.
- Shows hilly and mountainous terrain typical of the Rocky Mountains.
- Provides a clear representation of elevation variations and natural features.
- Illustrates the Estes Park area before significant later urban development.
- Useful for tracking changes in land use and natural resource management over subsequent decades.
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.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every Unique Maps piece begins with an authentic cartographic source or an original design from our London studio.
For our historic maps, we source rare originals from libraries, archives, auction houses and private collections around the world. We carefully restore each map for print—repairing age-related damage, balancing colour and improving clarity while preserving its original detail, texture and character.
Once restored, the map is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our map prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks, creating a rich, non-glossy finish designed to last. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Canvas, cotton-rag and other specialist presentations are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
Personalising your map
You can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. For personalised designs, we send a proof before printing and you can request changes before approval.
For more complex bespoke commissions, contact our design team.
Original or Aged
Choose Original for true-to-source colour, or Aged for a warmer, richer antique character created with our specialist ageing process. See examples of our Aged maps.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
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