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1989 Map of Big Bench

Name: 1989 Topographic Map of Big Bench
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1989
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1989

About this map

White Mesa dominates the northern landscape of this San Juan County territory, providing a high vantage point above the complex drainage systems of Recapture Creek and Cottonwood Wash. The map records a significant intersection of tribal lands, showing the southern boundary of the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation meeting the northern edge of the Navajo Indian Reservation. This confluence of jurisdictions is marked by the presence of Fiddlers Green, a small named settlement located near the center of the sheet.

Water management and grazing patterns are evident through the placement of the Horse Canyon Reservoir and the designated Cowboy Pasture to the southwest. The terrain is characterized by a series of distinct tablelands including Big Bench, McCracken Mesa, and Bluff Bench. These flat-topped features are separated by deep corridors like Shumway Canyon and Horse Canyon, illustrating the era's land use for ranching and resource management within these vast reservation boundaries.