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1987 Map of Copper Point

Name: 1987 Topographic Map of Copper Point
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area dominates this landscape, where the waters of Lake Powell meet the high desert plateau of San Juan County. Surveyed in the 1980s, the map reveals a complex system of drainage and erosion, from the wide expanse of Browns Rim to the deep incisions of White Canyon and Farley Canyon. This era shows the Colorado plateau as both a protected recreational zone and a site of persistent industrial interest, evidenced by the Happy Jack Mine and other unnamed mining operations tucked into the mesas.

The topography is punctuated by prominent geological landmarks such as Copper Point and Wingate Mesa. Transport across this difficult terrain is limited to primitive routes like the Fortknocker Trail, illustrating the isolation of the region even decades after the reservoir's creation. At the northern edge, the Colorado River winds through Cataract Canyon at Mille Crag Bend, highlighting the transition from riverine canyon to the backwaters of the lake.