1953 Map of No Mans Mesa

About this map

San Juan River canyons dominate this mid-century landscape, surveyed as the region prepared for the waters of Lake Powell. The map illustrates a transitional moment in the Utah-Arizona borderlands, where established outposts like Spencer Camp and Zahn Camp sit along the riverbanks destined for inundation. To the south, the vast Navajo Indian Reservation covers the territory, marked by traditional trails and remote landmarks. The rugged topography of the Rainbow Plateau is punctuated by geological features such as Hawkeye Natural Bridge and Thumb Rock. Transportation in this era relied on historic paths like the Wetherill Trail, which winds through the complex drainage systems of Piute Canyon and Nokai Canyon. The survey, completed with cooperation from the Atomic Energy Commission, provides a detailed view of the high mesas including No Mans Mesa and Nokai Mesa before modern developments reached this corner of the San Juan basin.