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1962 Map of Bryce Mountain

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Bryce Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The San Carlos Indian Reservation dominates this 1960s landscape, where the dramatic escarpment of the Nantac Rim separates the high plateau of Black Mesa from the lower desert basins. The territory is defined by its water sources, essential for survival in the arid high country, evidenced by the numerous named tanks and springs like Maverick Spring, Windy Well, and Pistol Springs. Remote seasonal outposts and infrastructure for range management appear as the Bryce Horse Camp, Park Creek Cabins, and Bonita Camp.

Tracing the southern reaches of the map reveals the transition into the Gila Mountains, where Bryce Mountain stands as a prominent landmark. Traces of much older habitation are preserved at the Cliff Dwellings near Midnight Canyon. The map records a network of rugged Jeep Trails and washes like Bonita Wash that provided the primary means of navigating this complex system of canyons and mesas during the mid-twentieth century.