Geologic Map of the Maysville Quadrangle, Chaffee County, Colorado

INTRODUCTION
LOCATION AND ACCESS
The Maysville 7 ½ minute quadrangle is located in Chaffee County in the
mountainous region of central Colorado. It is characterized by dramatically contrasted
physiography, including the southwesternmost part of the Upper Arkansas Valley in the
eastern half, and the high southern Sawatch Range in the western half (figs. 1 and 2). The
small community of Maysville is situated along U.S. Highway 50, which traverses eastwest
across the southern part of the quadrangle. Highway 50 is the main access across the
southern Sawatch Range where it crosses the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass about
eight miles west-southwest of Maysville. The closest city with amenities is Poncha
Springs, located about six and half miles east-southeast of Maysville. The largest towns
that service the southern Upper Arkansas Valley are Salida and Buena Vista, located 10
mi east and 21 mi north-northeast, respectively, of Maysville. U.S. Highway 285 is the
other major road in the region and it runs north-south approximately 2.5 mi east of, and
parallel to, the eastern quadrangle boundary.
Access is variable across the quadrangle and principally consists of Chaffee
County roads and U.S. Forest Service (primary, secondary and low standard) roads.
Many of the current Forest Service roads are old and were privately constructed to access
mine and prospect areas. Many are abandoned but are still useful for foot access to
remote areas. The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad reached the Salida area in
1880. A narrow-gage branch line extended west along the South Arkansas River to the
major mines in the Monarch and Garfield mining districts (terminated about 3 mi N-NE
of Monarch Pass). This branch line has been abandoned, portions of the old grade are still
apparent across the southern part of the Maysville quadrangle.
The Colorado Trail is a 469 mi trail between Denver and Durango. A portion of
this well-maintained trail extends for about seven miles (roughly N35°E) across the
northwest quadrant of the Maysville quadrangle. It provides access to a large portion
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