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1964 Map of Horse Mesa Dam

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Horse Mesa Dam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Apache Lake winds through the dramatic topography of the Tonto National Forest in this mid-1960s survey. The landscape is defined by the massive Horse Mesa Dam, which regulates the Salt River and creates a steep-walled reservoir framed by the Painted Cliffs and Mazatzal Mts. The map reveals a transition between hydraulic engineering and wilderness, where infrastructure like the Highway Dept Maintenance Yard sits not far from remote features like Browns Cave and the Pack Trail.

Water management and recreation are primary themes, evidenced by several campgrounds and viewpoints overlooking the water. Away from the lake, the terrain rises toward jagged summits like Fish Creek Peak and Black Cross Butte. Named canyons such as Fish Creek Canyon and Tortilla Creek cut through the high mesa country, providing a detailed record of the drainage patterns and historical trails that long predated the reservoir's construction.