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1953 Map of No Mans Mesa

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of No Mans Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

San Juan River and the newly forming waters of Lake Powell dominate the northern corridor of this 1950s study. The survey documents a critical transition in the landscape as the Atomic Energy Commission cooperated with the Geological Survey to map this section of the Navajo Indian Reservation prior to the permanent inundation of the river valley. The map preserves the locations of early outposts such as Spencer Camp and Zahn Camp, alongside traditional travel routes like the Wetherill Trail.

Rising above the deep drainages of Nokai Canyon and Piute Creek are prominent flat-topped landmarks, including No Mans Mesa and Nokai Mesa. This era of mapping captured the intricate network of washes and canyons, such as Neskahi Wash and Deep Canyon, before the water levels reached their full elevation, offering a rare view of the original river topography and landmarks like Hawkeye Natural Bridge.