2014 Map of Big Bench

About this map

White Mesa sits at the heart of this high-desert landscape in San Juan County, Utah, where deep canyons and broad mesas define the topography. The settlement at White Mesa is surrounded by a network of seasonal watercourses like Recapture Cr and Horse Creek, which have carved significant features such as Ute Canyon and Corral Canyon into the plateau. The map shows a transition from the elevated Big Bench and Bluff Bench toward the intricate drainage patterns near Horse Canyon Reservoir. Land use is reflected in local names like Cowboy Pasture and the small enclave at Fiddlers Green, while modern infrastructure including Us-191 and various Bureau of Indian Affairs routes like Bia-304 link these isolated points. This survey captures a moment when the traditional grazing lands and the geography of McCracken Mesa remained central to the region's character.