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2018 Map of Hellhole Bend

Name: 2018 Topographic Map of Hellhole Bend
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2018
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2018

About this map

The Little Colorado River Gorge dominates this high-desert landscape in Kaibab National Forest, carving a deep, winding path through the plateau. The river creates dramatic geological features such as the oxbows of Hellhole Bend and Mule Shoe Bend, where the water has etched sharp turns into the surrounding rock. This area represents a confluence of recreational trails and remote transportation routes, including the Great Western Trail and Rim Trail Rd., which follow the natural contours of the Coconino Rim.

Surface water is scarce on the plateau, marked primarily by isolated features like Smiley Tank in the south and the seasonal drainage of Dead Indian Canyon. The map reveals a transition from the Lower Basin to the Upper Basin, divided by the canyon walls and the prominent protrusion of Saddle Horn Rock. Transportation is defined by a network of unimproved roads like Indian Rte 6150 and historic alignments including Old Hwy 64, serving as a record of access to this corner of Coconino County.