1978 Map of Forks Butte

About this map

Black River and White River converge in this high-altitude landscape, forming the headwaters of the Salt River along the boundary of the Fort Apache and San Carlos Indian Reservations. The terrain is defined by dramatic elevation changes, rising from the river canyons to the Sevenmile Rim and the Natanes Plateau. This 1978 edition, revised by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, documents a wilderness managed for water and livestock, evidenced by numerous named watering points like Navajo Bill Tank, Jackson Hole Tank, and Jaguar Tank. The confluence area at Forks Butte marks a significant hydrologic junction where isolated springs such as Maverick Spring and Warm Spring emerge from the canyon walls. A few primitive routes, including the Black River Crossing, provide the only access through the deeply incised drainages of Bronco Canyon and White Cow Canyon.