2004 Map of Cooks Mesa

About this map

Tonto National Forest land dominates this 2004 revision of the Cooks Mesa quadrangle, a terrain of complex drainage networks and remote water sources. The landscape is defined by its canyons and springs, from the northern reaches of Squaw Creek and Six Bar Hole down to the southern depths of Sycamore Canyon. This map preserves the locations of vital desert resources including Tin Trough Spring, Laurel Hole Spring, and Mormon Tank, which supported cattle ranching in an arid environment. The presence of Upper Ranch near the center of the sheet and various prospects suggests a history of localized land use and resource extraction. Significant elevation markers like Benchmark Mountain and Monument Mountain anchor the topography, while the Second Standard Parallel North provides a key surveying reference for the region bordering Yavapai and Maricopa counties.