2017 Map of Horse Bench West

About this map

The San Rafael River cuts through the arid expanse of the San Rafael Desert, creating a vital corridor of hydrology within this Emery County landscape. The terrain is defined by the prominent Horse Bench in the east and the drainage patterns of Iron Wash and Cottonwood Wash to the south. Transportation and access are limited to a network of unpaved tracks, including Gillis Ranch Rd and routes associated with historic resource extraction such as Acerson Mine Rd and the Se Acerson Mine Exn. This survey illustrates the isolation of the region, where the primary human footprint consists of ranching roads and mining access routes traversing the benchlands and washes. The naming of Lower Iron Wash Loop suggests established, albeit primitive, circuits used for land management or recreational navigation in this remote section of Utah.