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1954 Map of Hells Canyon

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Hells Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

The Yampa River winds through the heart of the Dinosaur National Monument in this mid-century survey, revealing a landscape where ranching history meets protected wilderness. Settlement patterns are sparse, defined by family-named landmarks such as the Mantle Ranch and the nearby Mantle Sch, which served the small community in this isolated canyon environment. The map documents several sites already noted as being of an earlier era, including the Red Rock Ranch (Aban'd), Fred Wall Place (Aban'd), and Caldwell Place (Aban'd), offering a vital record for genealogists tracking these pioneer families.

From the high vantage of Round Top Mountain and the Round Top Lookout, the terrain drops precipitously into Hells Canyon and Red Rock Canyon. Distinctive geological formations like The Billiard Table, Katys Nipple, and Castle Rock provide navigational anchors across the complex system of draws and ridges. Cultural features such as the Mantle Summer Camp and Robison Place further illuminate the human geography of the Pearl Park and Red Rock Bench areas during this period.