1967 Map of Dutch Blue Creek

About this map

The Blue River carves a deep path through this remote portion of the Apache National Forest, defining a landscape where cattle ranching and wilderness survival intersect. Human presence is marked by isolated outposts like the H U Bar Ranch and scattered shelters such as Winter Cabin and White Rocks Cabin. The terrain is characterized by dramatic elevation changes, from the heights of Government Mesa and Prairie Breaker down to the narrow confines of the H U Bar Box and Little Blue Box. These "boxes" represent steep-walled canyon sections that dictated movement through the backcountry. A network of names like Hannah Hot Spring and Benton Tank reveals the vital importance of water sources in this arid environment, while a web of pack trails and jeep trails provides the only access through the canyons of Dutch Blue Creek and Strayhorse Creek.