1953 Map of Cummings Mesa

About this map

The Colorado River carves a deep path through the high desert of the Colorado Plateau in the early 1950s, revealing a landscape defined by dramatic elevation changes and remote river bars. This survey captures Glen Canyon before its transformation, showing the original river course and its various sediment deposits like Klondike Bar, Wild Horse Bar, and Meskin Bar. These riverside features, along with the towering Straight Cliffs and Cummings Mesa, illustrate the complex geology of the border between Utah and Arizona. To the south, the Navajo Indian Reservation encompasses the Rainbow Plateau, while the northern portion of the map is dominated by the Grand Bench and the drainages of Rock Creek and Last Chance Creek. The map documents a rugged era of backcountry navigation and topographic study by the Geological Survey and USC&GS.