2017 Map of Bowknot Bend

About this map

The Green River carves a massive, symmetrical oxbow at Bowknot Bend, a defining geological landmark along the boundary of Grand and Emery Counties. This 2017 survey details the complex system of riparian flats and high desert plateaus that characterize Labyrinth Canyon. Wide river bottoms such as Horsethief Bottom, Woodruff Bottom, and Tidwell Bottom appear as distinct lowlands beneath the sheer cliffs of Deadman Point and Spring Canyon Point. The landscape is etched by deep drainages like Twomile Canyon and Keg Spring Canyon, which funnel into the river corridor from the high plateaus to the west. Navigation through this wilderness is recorded along the White Rim Road in the south and the historic Horse Thief Trl, illustrating the traditional routes used to access the river from the canyon rims. The presence of Keg Spring and Barrier Cr highlights the sparse but critical water sources that dictated movement through this arid canyon country.