Use the ZIP below to download the high-resolution JPG originals for this Las Animas County Map page. Las Animas County stretches from Trinidad and Trinidad Lake beside the rugged western high country across a much broader, lower plain toward Kim and the far eastern boundary. The maps also show the Purgatoire River system, major roads, settlement spacing, and the large elevation drop from the western mountains to the eastern plains.
Trinidad is the easiest place to use as an anchor. I-25 runs through the area, US 160 crosses the county, US 350 leaves toward the northeast, and Highway 12 heads west into more broken terrain. Aguilar and Cokedale remain relatively close to the mountainous side of the county, while Kim and Branson are separated from Trinidad by long stretches of open country. Looking at the water and elevation maps together makes that difference even clearer because the western half contains denser stream networks and much higher relief.
Table of Contents
A county that stretches from Trinidad into a wide eastern plain
The county map gives Trinidad the clearest visual role. Several major roads meet or pass close to the city, and the surrounding map becomes noticeably more complex west of town. Aguilar lies to the north along the I-25 corridor, while Cokedale, Weston, and Stonewall Gap sit toward the western side where valleys and ridges are more pronounced. Roads in this part of the county bend more often as they move through the terrain, and stream lines appear at shorter intervals.
East of Trinidad, the county opens into a much larger plain. Kim appears far to the east and Branson lies near the southern edge, with long road segments separating the communities. Highways 109 and 389 provide reference lines across this part of the map, but the settlement labels are much more widely spaced than around Trinidad. The county boundary itself extends a long distance eastward, so a reader who only knows the Trinidad area can easily underestimate how much open prairie Las Animas County includes.
The road pattern is useful for orientation. Highway 12 leaves Trinidad for the western communities near Weston and Stonewall Gap, where the terrain becomes rougher. US 160 crosses the county and continues into the broad eastern side, while US 350 angles northeast from the Trinidad area. I-25 provides the most obvious north-south route around Trinidad and Aguilar. These lines are helpful for understanding where places sit relative to one another, but the map is not a live navigation product and does not show current closures, construction, or driving times.
Five mapped communities reveal an uneven settlement pattern
The city map highlights Trinidad, Aguilar, Cokedale, Kim, and Branson. Trinidad stands out as the largest mapped community and sits in the southwestern part of the county’s broad outline. Aguilar is north of Trinidad, and Cokedale is west of it near the more rugged terrain. Kim is far to the east on the plains, while Branson sits near the southern edge. The five labels make it obvious that settlement is not distributed evenly from one end of the county to the other.
That spacing matters when reading the county as a whole. Trinidad, Aguilar, and Cokedale form a relatively compact western cluster compared with the long distances to Kim and Branson. The city map strips away much of the road and terrain detail, which makes it useful when the main question is simply where the larger communities are. For actual travel, the county map should be used alongside it because the route between two labels may be much longer than the visual gap suggests.
This simplified city view is especially helpful in a county with such a large east-west span. It does not attempt to show every small settlement, unincorporated place, or local road. Instead, it gives the reader a quick way to compare the main labeled communities before returning to the more detailed county map for roads, boundaries, and surrounding terrain.
The Purgatoire system and Trinidad Lake define the southwest water network
The terrain and water map places the Purgatoire River at the center of the county’s southwestern drainage. Numerous smaller streams descend from the high western terrain and feed into the river system. Trinidad Lake forms the largest clearly labeled body of water near Trinidad, and the South Fork Purgatoire River appears farther southwest. Together, these features explain why the western part of the county looks much more dissected by valleys and streams than the open eastern plain.
The Apishapa River is another prominent western watercourse, and several named lakes and reservoirs appear in the same half of the county. Seven Lakes Reservoir, Bates Lake, Simpson Lake, Model Reservoir, North Lake, and Monument Lake provide useful reference points around the higher terrain. Farther east, the map contains many thinner creek lines but fewer large labeled water bodies. The visual change from mountain drainage to prairie streams is one of the clearest differences between the two sides of the county.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife identifies Trinidad Lake as the centerpiece of Trinidad Lake State Park and provides current visitor information for the reservoir. The map on this page is not meant to replace those official details. It is a geographic reference for locating rivers, lakes, and surrounding terrain, not a flood map, property map, reservoir operations chart, or boating-navigation product.
Elevation falls sharply from the western high country toward the east
The elevation map reports an actual range of about 1,317 to 4,105 meters, with a mean of about 1,831 meters. The highest colors are concentrated in the west and southwest, where ridges and deep valleys create a much rougher surface. Around Trinidad the terrain is already lower than the far western mountains, and the broad eastern half of the county is dominated by lower green tones. The difference is large enough that the county looks almost like two different landscapes placed side by side.
Road and settlement locations make more sense when this elevation change is kept in view. Highway 12 moves west from Trinidad into higher, more broken terrain, while US 160 continues east across a lower and more open landscape. Kim and Branson lie within the lower side of the map, far from the highest western ridges. The elevation map therefore adds a useful layer of explanation to the city and road maps rather than simply repeating them.
This elevation map is best used for county-scale comparison. It can show where the high country begins, where valleys cut through it, and how strongly the eastern plain differs from the west. It should not be used as a substitute for survey measurements, engineering elevations, or site-specific construction data. For work that requires precise elevation values, the underlying USGS elevation products are the appropriate source.
Highways connect places that sit in very different terrain
Las Animas County is easier to understand when the road map is read together with the elevation and water maps. I-25 links Trinidad and Aguilar through the more settled western side. Highway 12 enters higher country west of Trinidad, while US 160 runs across the county toward the broad prairie. US 350 angles northeast, and the eastern highways follow long stretches across lower ground. The road network is therefore not simply a grid; its shape changes as it moves from mountain valleys into open plains.
The same shift appears in the stream network. Western roads often run close to rivers or valley bottoms because steep ridges limit the available routes. In the east, both roads and streams spread across a more open surface with fewer large relief barriers. For a reader comparing Trinidad with Kim or Branson, this combined view explains more than a city label alone. It shows why places in the same county can have very different surroundings and travel patterns.
Choose the map that matches the question
Use the city map when the goal is to compare Trinidad, Aguilar, Cokedale, Kim, and Branson without extra detail. Use the county map when roads, county boundaries, and nearby places matter. The terrain and water map is the best choice for the Purgatoire River, Trinidad Lake, the Apishapa River, and the western reservoir group. The elevation map is most useful when the question is how the high western country changes into the much lower eastern plain.
For printing, presentation slides, or offline reference, the ZIP below contains the original high-resolution JPG versions of the same maps shown on this page. It includes the county map, city distribution map, terrain and water map, and elevation map. These files are designed for general geographic reference. Legal boundaries, parcel work, flood determinations, engineering, and real-time navigation all require the appropriate official or specialized source.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which map is best for comparing Trinidad with Kim or Branson?
The county map is the best starting point because it shows the communities together with the road network. The city map provides a cleaner comparison of the five highlighted settlements, while the elevation map helps explain why Trinidad sits near more rugged country and Kim and Branson occupy a much lower, broader plain.
Where can I see the Purgatoire River and Trinidad Lake most clearly?
Use the terrain and water map. It labels the Purgatoire River, South Fork Purgatoire River, Trinidad Lake, the Apishapa River, and several western lakes and reservoirs. The map is intended for general location reference and does not replace flood, property, reservoir-management, or boating-navigation information.
Can the 1,317–4,105 meter elevation range be used for surveying?
No. The range is useful for comparing the county’s high western terrain with the lower eastern plain. Surveying, engineering, construction, or site-specific elevation work requires precise source data such as USGS elevation products or professional survey measurements.
Map File Information
The ZIP contains the high-resolution JPG originals for the Las Animas County county map, city distribution map, terrain and water map, and elevation map.
- Included Files: 4 high-resolution JPG maps
- Printable Size: 3,638 × 2,572 pixels per JPG
Related Maps
Sources and references
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife – Trinidad Lake State Park
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles
- USGS National Hydrography
- USGS 3D Elevation Program
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data.
These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
