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1988 Map of Elaterite Basin

Name: 1988 Topographic Map of Elaterite Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1988
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1988

About this map

Elaterite Basin and the surrounding high desert canyonlands are captured here at a time when access to this remote corner of Wayne Co and Garfield Co remained largely primitive. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition between the Orange Cliffs to the west and the intricate labyrinth of The Maze to the east. A complex network of drainage systems, including Horse Canyon and Big Water Canyon, illustrates the erosional forces that shaped the Land of Standing Rocks.

Evidence of early exploration and recreational access is noted by the presence of The Golden Stairs and the Maze Overlook Campsite. The map identifies numerous natural landmarks with descriptive names like The Mother and Child, Lizard Rock, and Tibbett Arch, reflecting the area's geological character. This late-twentieth-century survey documents the region before modern park management infrastructures were fully developed, showing the boundary between Canyonlands National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.