1954 Map of Leche-E Rock

About this map

The Colorado River winds through the high desert of the Navajo Indian Reservation in this mid-century survey. This landscape is defined by its verticality, where the massive Rainbow Plateau and Cummings Mesa rise above deeply incised drainages like Wahweap Creek and Navajo Creek. Before the later development of modern recreation infrastructure, the region was navigated primarily by a network of trails, jeep trails, and pack trails that connected remote water sources such as White Dome Tank, Antelope Tank, and isolated springs. Several prominent survey monuments, including Leche-e Rock and Tower Butte, served as essential landmarks for mapping the Coconino County backcountry. The isolation of features like Nurusse Betay and the sheer verticality of Wall highlight the challenges of transcontinental travel across the Colorado basin during this era.