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2011 Map of Blue Chief Mesa

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Blue Chief Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

The Dolores River carves a winding path through this corner of Grand County, defining a landscape of high tablelands and deep canyon systems. High-elevation features like Buckhorn Mesa and Blue Chief Mesa dominate the terrain, separated by dramatic erosional features such as The Slide and the long course of Buckhorn Draw. This area represents a sparsely developed section of the Colorado Plateau, where the few signs of human infrastructure are focused near the river corridor.

Transportation is limited to routes like Entrada Ranch Rd, which provides access to the riparian environments at Utah Bottoms. The map illustrates how drainage patterns from Granite Creek and Cottonwood Canyon feed into the river, creating a complex network of topographical barriers that include Scharf Mesa and Sevenmile Mesa. This layout reflects the geologic reality of the region, where travel and settlement are dictated by the presence of water and the accessibility of mesa tops.