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1953 Map of Gunsight Butte

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Gunsight Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

The Colorado River carves a deep, winding path through this corner of Kane and San Juan Counties in the early 1950s, long before the construction of Glen Canyon Dam altered the landscape forever. The map captures the river's original course at the Crossing of the Fathers, a site of profound historical significance where Spanish explorers once traversed the waters. This pre-inundation perspective reveals the intricate canyon systems of Gunsight Canyon and Croton Canyon as they were before the reservoir was filled.

To the north, the massive uplift of Smoky Mountain dominates the terrain, while the southern bank of the river is defined by the Rainbow Plateau within the Navajo Indian Reservation. Prominent landmarks like Gunsight Butte and Castle Rock serve as anchors in a labyrinth of seasonal drainages, including Last Chance Creek and Wahweap Creek, showing the drainage patterns of the high desert before the canyon floor was submerged.