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1891 Map of Echo Cliffs

Name: 1891 Topographic Map of Echo Cliffs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1908
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1908

About this map

Lee Ferry serves as a critical point of orientation in this late nineteenth-century reconnaissance of Northern Arizona, marking the vital crossing at the confluence of the Paria Canyon and the Colorado River. The landscape is dominated by massive geological formations, including the Vermilion Cliffs and the namesake Echo Cliffs, which dictated the early travel routes and settlement patterns of the region. To the south, Tuba City and the nearby village of Moencopie represent the established communities of the era, situated near the Moencopie Wash.

The survival of travelers and settlers in this arid environment is evident through the mapping of remote water sources such as Navajo Spring, Bitter Spring, and the various man-made Limestone Tanks. This survey, conducted by the Powell and U.S. Geological Surveys, captures the territory before modern infrastructure, highlighting landmarks like the Shinumo Altar and the distinct transition from the Paria Plateau into the depths of Marble Canyon.