1965 Map of Black Mountain

About this map

Manti La Sal National Forest encompasses the high mountain ridges and deep canyons of this mid-1960s survey, revealing a landscape defined by seasonal ranching and high-altitude water management. The terrain is marked by family and localized names such as Bub Arthurs Flat, Metcalf Spring, and Lower Ranch, indicating the area's long-standing use for summer grazing. A network of primitive ways, including the Harmon Trail and numerous jeep tracks, connects remote outposts like the Mt Baldy Guard Station to vital water sources such as Patton Reservoir and Newfield Reservoir. These features, alongside the Grove of the Aspen Giants Scenic Area, highlight the era's focus on forest management and conservation before the modernization of mountain access. Geologists and local historians can trace the intricate drainage of Twelvemile Creek and the North Fork as they carve through the high plateaus.