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1965 Map of Little Turkey Park

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Little Turkey Park
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument preserves ancestral sites along the Gila River, marking a landscape defined by archaeological significance and deep wilderness. This mid-1960s survey documents a network of rugged trails, including the Ring Canyon Trail and Nat Straw Canyon Trail, which served as the primary arteries through the Gila National Forest before modern road development. The interior of the Gila Wilderness is dotted with essential water sources for backcountry travelers, such as Dead Eye Tank and Lost Mule Tank.

Local history and lore are visible in place names like Murtocks Hole and the isolated Grudging Cabin Grave near the river. High-elevation points like Brushy Mountain and the Granite Peak Lookout Tower provided vantage points for early fire detection. The presence of numerous tanks, like the Crash Landing Tank and Locked Horns Tank, reflects the specific challenges of water management in this arid mountain terrain.