2021 Map of Essex Mountain

About this map

Essex Mountain stands as a prominent landmark in this high-altitude desert landscape of Sweetwater County, where the high desert floor gives way to complex drainage patterns and dramatic escarpments. The terrain is defined by the sweeping arc of Steamboat Rim and the deep incision of LaFonte Canyon in the southern portion of the sheet. Vital water sources like Marine Spring, Hillside Springs, and Box Spring indicate the critical points of relief for travelers and livestock in an otherwise arid environment. Evidence of historical transit is found in the northern reaches, where Freighter Gap Rd winds through the high country toward Box Canyon. Several branches of Jack Morrow Creek provide the primary drainage for the area, flowing through the pass at Indian Gap and shaping the basins between the rugged plateaus.