1989 Map of Mc Cracken Spring

About this map

The Navajo Indian Reservation encompasses the southern portion of this high-desert landscape in San Juan County, dominated by the expansive Navajo Mesa. This 1980s field-checked survey reveals a land defined by water scarcity and rugged relief, where named water sources like McCracken Spring, Alkali Well, and Alkali Seep represent critical landmarks for navigation and local ranching history. The terrain is deeply incised by drainage systems including McCracken Canyon and Alkali Canyon, while the northern reaches feature the broad Bullpen Swale. Human activity is primarily industrial and infrastructural rather than residential, marked by a Quarry and a network of pipelines and transmission lines crossing the arid plateaus. The presence of numerous drill holes across the mesas suggests an era of intensive subterranean exploration, likely for mineral or energy resources, set against the backdrop of traditional tribal lands.