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1954 Map of Nankoweap

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Nankoweap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

The Colorado River carves a deep, serpentine path through this 1950s survey of Coconino County, marking the transition between the Kaibab National Forest to the west and the Navajo Indian Reservation to the east. This section of the Grand Canyon reveals a landscape of sheer vertical relief, where major tributaries like Nankoweap Creek and Kwagunt Creek meet the main river at powerful whitewater points such as President Harding Rapids and Nankoweap Rapids.

Evidence of historical habitation and land use is sparse but significant, featuring Cliff Dwellings tucked into the canyon walls and the isolated Buffalo Ranch on the plateau. High-altitude landmarks like Point Imperial and Mount Hayden provide dramatic orientation points overlooking the Desert Façade. This era of mapping shows the region's raw geography before modern development, noting stock-rearing features such as Big Sheep Corral and various stock ponds that sustained life in this arid corridor.