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1886 Map of Escalante

Name: 1886 Topographic Map of Escalante
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1886
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1886

About this map

Escalante sits as the primary settlement within Potato Valley in this late nineteenth-century survey of Southern Utah. Conducted by the Powell Survey, the mapping captures a landscape defined by massive geological formations, including the Aquarius Plateau to the north and the expansive Kaiparowits Plateau that dominates the central terrain. The drainage systems of the Escalante River and Paria River are meticulously traced through deep sandstone canyons.

A significant historical landmark, The Crossing of the Fathers, is noted along the southern river course, marking a critical transit point for early explorers. The map illustrates the stark isolation of the region, where numerous drainages like Last Chance Creek, Boulder Creek, and Sentinel Rock Creek feed into larger river systems. The prominent Straight Cliffs form a massive natural wall between high plateaus and the rugged canyon country below, providing a clear record of the area's difficult topography before modern development.