2020 Map of Little Wild Horse Mesa

About this map

The San Rafael Swell dominates this portion of Emery County, where the dramatic uplift meets the San Rafael Reef. This landscape is defined by its series of high, flat-topped mesas, including Little Wild Horse Mesa, Mid Wild Horse Mesa, and Big Wild Horse Mesa. The erosional patterns of the region are clearly visible through deeply cut features like Bell Canyon and Chute Canyon, which drain toward the south and east. A single named thoroughfare, Behind The Reef Road, provides access through the northwest corner of the map, tracing the base of the Swell's eastern edge. The topography is also shaped by intermittent watercourses like Wild Horse Creek and Muddy Creek, which cut through the lower elevations below the mesas. The arrangement of these features illustrates the classic geologic structure of the reef, where steeply tilted rock layers form a jagged barrier against the higher mesa country.