1973 Map of Finger Ridge

About this map

Hill Air Force Range dominates this mid-1970s orthophotomap, where the desolate landscape of the Great Salt Lake Desert was utilized for military operations. The terrain is characterized by the expansive Mud Flat, a featureless expanse of alkali and silt that shifts into the distinctive topography of Finger Ridge to the east. This specialized map format, an orthophotomosaic, uses 1972 aerial photography to provide a realistic visual representation of the ground surface, revealing the intricate patterns of the Hill formations and the stark boundary between Box Elder Co and Tooele Co. Areas marked as Restricted underscore the sensitive nature of this high-desert testing ground during the Cold War era, providing a rare look at the footprint of national defense infrastructure within Utah’s wilderness.