2020 Map of Gunsight Butte

About this map

Lake Powell dominates this high-desert landscape within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, where rising waters have transformed deep sandstone canyons into a complex system of bays and inlets. The topography is defined by dramatic vertical relief, featuring prominent landmarks like Gunsight Butte and Padres Butte that rise above the waterline. The map details the intricate shoreline of Padre Bay and Last Chance Bay, showing how the encroaching reservoir has isolated former terrestrial features such as Gunsight Bar and Padre Point. Along the northern and western margins, the terrain ascends toward Alstrom Point and the expansive Romana Mesa, offering a view of the geologic transition between the sunken canyons and the high plateau. This modern survey illustrates the contemporary water levels of the Colorado River system, tracing the intersection of human-engineered recreation and the ancient, carved formations of the Rainbow Plateau.