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1972 Map of Gisela

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Gisela
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

Gisela sits along the banks of Tonto Creek as a small hub of settlement surrounded by the high desert topography of the Tonto National Forest. The landscape is defined by its water management, evidenced by numerous tanks and wells like Bassett Tank and Hardt Creek Well that support the ranching operations characteristic of this Gila County region. The map shows the convergence of traditional grazing lands and the wilder slopes of the Sierra Ancha and Fisher Mesa, where travel is often restricted to a Jeep Trail or the Old Mail (Pack) Trail.

Evidence of local ranching history is grounded in labels for the Brown Ranch and Bar T Bar Ranch, while the settlement at Rye and the junction at Jakes Corner represent the primary connection points for the area. The terrain is deeply incised by drainages such as Barnhardt Canyon and Brady Canyon Creek, creating a complex network of ridges and washes that defined the movement of people and livestock in the early 1970s.