1968 Map of Canyon Diablo

About this map

The Navajo Indian Reservation covers the northern half of this landscape, its boundary following the southern rim of the dramatic gorge carved by Canyon Diablo. Along the southern reaches of the canyon, evidence of early habitation and passage is preserved in the form of Ruins and scattered Graves near the canyon floor. This area represents a critical corridor for transcontinental transit, as the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad tracks cut directly across the high desert flats through the station at Sunshine. The relationship between the deep incision of Padre Canyon and the open plateau reflects the challenging topography that influenced both rail engineering and indigenous settlement patterns in this part of Coconino County during the late 1960s.