1953 Map of Lake Canyon

About this map

The confluence of the Colorado River and the San Juan River defines this landscape, captured during the early years of the reservoir's formation. Much of the terrain falls within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, where rising waters had begun to fill deep sandstone gorges like Moki Canyon and Lake Canyon. To the south, the boundary of the Navajo Indian Reservation stretches across high desert plateaus, including Wilson Mesa and Grey Mesa. The map reflects a transition from river-bottom geography to the emerging shoreline of Lake Powell, while inland features such as Nokai Dome and the namesake Johnnies Hole remain as fixed landmarks. Sparse infrastructure, limited to isolated Wells and an Oil Well, underscores the area's remote character and focus on mineral exploration and emerging water-based recreation.