Colorado PLSS Legal Land Description Guide

Colorado sits at a geographic crossroads, and its land survey system reflects that. Three different principal meridians divide the state's PLSS grid. Oil and gas operators in the DJ Basin, mining companies on the Western Slope, ranchers on the Eastern Plains, and recreation managers across millions of acres of public land all rely on PLSS legal descriptions to identify specific parcels.

This guide explains how Colorado's PLSS framework works, including the three principal meridians, section numbering, quarter section notation, and how legal descriptions appear across the state's major industries.

Colorado's Three Principal Meridians

Unlike states covered by a single meridian, Colorado is surveyed from three separate origin points. Knowing which meridian applies to a given parcel is not optional — it is part of the legal description.

Sixth Principal Meridian

The Sixth Principal Meridian covers the largest portion of Colorado, governing surveys across most of the state's eastern and central regions. The meridian line runs along 97°22' W longitude (passing through central Nebraska and Kansas), with its base line at 40° N latitude.

Colorado townships referenced to the Sixth Principal Meridian span from the Kansas border west through Denver, up into the mountains, and across much of the Western Slope. If a Colorado legal description does not specify a meridian, it most likely falls under the Sixth Principal Meridian — but you should always verify.

A typical Sixth Principal Meridian description:

NW/4 Section 24, Township 3 South, Range 67 West, 6th Principal Meridian

Shorthand:

NW 24-3S-67W 6th PM

This describes a 160-acre tract south of Denver in the foothills, measured from the 6th Principal Meridian grid.

New Mexico Principal Meridian

The New Mexico Principal Meridian governs surveys in a band of southern Colorado counties, roughly from Trinidad north to Walsenburg and west toward the San Luis Valley. Its initial point is near the confluence of the Rio Grande and the Rio Puerco in New Mexico, and surveys extend north across the state line into Colorado.

Counties where you will see New Mexico Principal Meridian descriptions include Las Animas, Huerfano, Costilla, and parts of Conejos and Alamosa counties.

A New Mexico Principal Meridian description:

SE/4 Section 10, Township 33 South, Range 64 East, New Mexico Principal Meridian

Shorthand:

SE 10-33S-64E NMPM

Note the high township and range numbers — that is because the origin point is far to the south in central New Mexico. Colorado parcels under this meridian carry large township-south and range-east values.

Ute Meridian

The Ute Meridian covers a small area in southwestern Colorado, primarily within the former Ute Indian Reservation. Its initial point is near the junction of the Uncompahgre and Gunnison rivers. Surveys under the Ute Meridian are limited in extent and mainly appear in Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel, and parts of adjacent counties.

A Ute Meridian description:

NE/4 Section 16, Township 46 North, Range 9 West, Ute Meridian

Shorthand:

NE 16-46N-9W UM

The Ute Meridian is the least commonly encountered of the three, but if you work with land in the Uncompahgre Valley or the San Juan mining district, you will see it.

Section Numbering

Every township in Colorado — regardless of which meridian it falls under — follows the standard PLSS serpentine section numbering:

+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|  6 |  5 |  4 |  3 |  2 |  1 |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+
|  7 |  8 |  9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+

Section 1 is in the northeast corner, numbering runs right to left across the first row, then left to right across the second row, alternating through all six rows. Section 36 sits in the southeast corner.

In mountainous areas of Colorado, sections can be highly irregular due to terrain. Fractional sections and government lots appear frequently along the western half of the state. Always check the BLM survey plat for the specific township before assuming standard section boundaries.

Quarter Section Subdivisions

Each section divides into four quarter sections of 160 acres:

• NE — Northeast Quarter
• NW — Northwest Quarter
• SE — Southeast Quarter
• SW — Southwest Quarter

Further subdivision produces quarter-quarter sections of 40 acres. Colorado oil and gas regulations and mineral leases commonly reference quarter-quarter locations:

SW/4 NE/4 Section 24, T3S, R67W, 6th PM

This identifies the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter — a specific 40-acre parcel. Read quarter-quarter descriptions from the smallest subdivision outward: "the SW quarter of the NE quarter of Section 24."

Oil and Gas in Colorado

Colorado's oil and gas activity centers on two major basins, both of which use PLSS descriptions for every regulatory filing.

DJ Basin (Denver-Julesburg)

The DJ Basin stretches across Weld, Adams, Arapahoe, and surrounding counties in northeastern Colorado. It is one of the most active drilling areas in the United States, with thousands of horizontal wells targeting the Niobrara and Codell formations.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) requires every Application for Permit to Drill (APD) to include the PLSS location:

NW/4 NE/4 Section 5, T4N, R65W, 6th PM, Weld County

COGCC also uses PLSS to define spacing orders, drilling units, and setback requirements. A 1,280-acre drilling unit in the DJ Basin typically spans two full sections. Operators, landmen, and regulators reference the specific sections and quarter sections included in each unit.

If you are running title on DJ Basin mineral interests, you need to match lease descriptions precisely. A lease covering "Section 5, T4N, R65W" is different from one covering "Section 5, T4N, R65E" — and the second may not even exist in the DJ Basin area.

Piceance Basin

The Piceance Basin on Colorado's Western Slope (Garfield, Rio Blanco, and Mesa counties) contains significant natural gas reserves in the Williams Fork and Iles formations. Drilling permits and well locations in the Piceance reference the Sixth Principal Meridian grid, but with high range-west numbers reflecting the western location:

SE/4 Section 18, T6S, R95W, 6th PM, Garfield County

Much of the Piceance Basin overlaps federal mineral estate managed by the BLM. Federal APDs include PLSS descriptions and require survey plat verification before approval.

Mining

Colorado's mining history is written in PLSS descriptions. From the Cripple Creek gold district to the Climax molybdenum mine, mining claims and patents reference sections, townships, and ranges.

Active mining operations today — gravel pits on the Front Range, coal mines on the Western Slope, and aggregate quarries across the state — file permits with the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety using PLSS locations. Patented mining claims recorded at county clerk offices also use PLSS legal descriptions, though some older claims in the San Juan Mountains may reference the Ute Meridian rather than the Sixth Principal Meridian.

Understanding which meridian applies prevents confusion when researching historical mining claims in southwestern Colorado.

Agriculture

Colorado's Eastern Plains produce wheat, corn, sunflowers, and cattle. USDA Farm Service Agency offices across the state use PLSS descriptions to identify fields for crop insurance, disaster programs, and conservation easements.

A crop insurance filing in Kit Carson County might reference:

N/2 Section 15, T9S, R44W, 6th PM

The N/2 notation means the "North Half" — the NE and NW quarters combined, totaling 320 acres. FSA field maps tie this description to the specific Common Land Unit (CLU) and acreage records for the producer.

Colorado's water rights system, which operates on the prior appropriation doctrine, also connects to PLSS locations. Points of diversion for irrigation wells and ditch headgates are identified by section, township, and range in water court decrees.

Recreation and Public Land

Colorado contains approximately 24 million acres of federal public land managed by the BLM, U.S. Forest Service, and National Park Service. Hunters, anglers, hikers, and outfitters use PLSS descriptions to identify specific public land parcels, particularly in areas where public and private land are interleaved in a checkerboard pattern.

Hunting and recreation access often hinges on knowing exactly which section is public and which is private. Colorado Parks and Wildlife references PLSS locations in Game Management Unit descriptions and hunting regulations. BLM grazing allotments, timber sales, and recreation permits all use PLSS legal descriptions.

A hunter checking access near Steamboat Springs might look up:

Section 16, T7N, R85W, 6th PM

Section 16 in every township was historically granted to the state for school funding. In Colorado, most Section 16 parcels are state trust land managed by the State Land Board — open to recreation with a valid access permit.

Common Colorado Legal Description Formats

Colorado legal descriptions vary by context:

Full legal (deed):

The Northwest Quarter (NW/4) of Section Twenty-Four (24),
Township Three (3) South, Range Sixty-Seven (67) West of the
Sixth Principal Meridian, County of Jefferson, State of Colorado

COGCC regulatory filing:

NW/4 Sec. 24, T3S, R67W, 6th PM

BLM format:

T. 3 S., R. 67 W., 6th P.M., Sec. 24, NW/4

Shorthand:

NW 24-3S-67W

Township America's PLSS converter accepts all common Colorado formats across all three meridians.

Tips for Working with Colorado PLSS

1. Identify the meridian first. Colorado has three. Most descriptions fall under the Sixth Principal Meridian, but southern and southwestern parcels use the New Mexico Principal Meridian or Ute Meridian. Misidentifying the meridian puts you in the wrong part of the state.
2. Watch the high range numbers. Colorado ranges under the Sixth Principal Meridian run from the low 40s near Kansas to the low 100s on the Western Slope. Range 67 West is in the Denver metro area; Range 95 West is near Rifle. The range number tells you roughly where east-to-west you are.
3. Check for fractional sections in the mountains. Colorado's rugged terrain creates irregular sections. Mountain townships may contain government lots instead of standard quarter sections. Consult the BLM survey plat for the specific township.
4. Know the COGCC requirements. If you are filing drilling permits or reviewing spacing orders, the COGCC expects precise PLSS descriptions. Their GIS system ties directly to the PLSS grid.
5. Verify public land boundaries. In the checkerboard areas of western Colorado, the difference between Section 15 (private) and Section 16 (state trust land) is the difference between trespassing and legal access. Confirm with GPS coordinates from a PLSS converter.
6. Understand township irregularities along the Front Range. Survey corrections and early land grants around Denver create some non-standard township configurations. Historical platting in these areas may not align perfectly with the standard grid.

Convert Colorado PLSS Descriptions

From DJ Basin drilling permits to Western Slope mining claims to Eastern Plains crop insurance filings, Colorado land work runs on accurate PLSS descriptions. Township America covers all Colorado townships and sections across the Sixth Principal Meridian, New Mexico Principal Meridian, and Ute Meridian grids.

Paste a Colorado legal description and get GPS coordinates back immediately.

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