1885 Map of East Tavaputs

About this map

The Green River carves through the western edge of this territory, defining the deep winding corridor of Desolation Canyon. This 1885 reconnaissance survey captures a remote expanse of the Uinta region along the Utah Colorado Boundary Line during a period of primary geographical exploration. The landscape is dominated by massive geological features, including the East Tavaputs Plateau and the layered escarpments of the Roan or Brown Cliffs and Book Cliffs. In the southeast, the Grand River Valley provides a corridor for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, showing the early integration of this isolated terrain into the national rail network. Named drainages like Evacuation Creek, Asphalt Creek, and Bitter Water Creek hint at the mineral and saline character of the arid basins located between the White River and the high plateaus.