1954 Map of Lees Ferry

About this map

Colorado River navigation and the crossing at Lees Ferry anchor this mid-century survey of Northern Arizona. This map, developed in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission, documents the dramatic geography where the Vermilion Cliffs and Marble Canyon converge. The landscape is defined by its verticality, from Cedar Mountain to the depths of Paria Canyon. Small outposts like Vermilion Cliffs Lodge and the Lees settlement represent the sparse human presence in this region. The map also records early engineering feats, notably the Navajo Bridge spanning the gorge and the survey of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area boundaries before extensive modern development. Features such as Powells Monument and Cathedral Rock serve as significant landmarks for those tracing the history of river exploration and plateau transit.