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1962 Map of Bluff NW

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Bluff NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Cliff dwellings and ancient Ruins characterize the high desert canyons of San Juan County in the early 1960s. The landscape is dominated by the dramatic verticality of Comb Ridge, which runs north-south and separates the drainage of Comb Wash from Butler Wash. This survey documents a complex network of archaeological sites situated within the sandstone alcoves of Mule Canyon, Fish Creek, and the surrounding mesas.

Evidence of human activity spans centuries, from these indigenous sites to the mid-century industrial presence of numerous drill holes. Navigability through this difficult terrain is limited to a Jeep Trail and other primitive routes, including the descriptively named The Twist near Snow Flat. Perennial and seasonal water sources, such as Sweet Springs and Picket Fork, provide the only relief in an otherwise arid system of canyons and washes.