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1977 Map of Oak Creek Ranch

Name: 1977 Topographic Map of Oak Creek Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

The Fort Apache Indian Reservation defines the character of this landscape in the late 1970s, where traditional ranching infrastructure meets ancient history. Evidence of long-term habitation is visible near Grasshopper, where both modern Ruins and cattle-related features like Grasshopper Tank No 2 cluster near the Salt River. The map meticulously records the water management system essential for this arid terrain, noting numerous named catchments such as Cliff Dwelling Tank and Oak Flat Tank.

Transport through the area is dominated by an established network of primitive routes, including the Gentry Trail and various unnamed pack trails and jeep trails that navigate the canyons. High points like Horse Camp Mesa and Brush Mtn overlook the deep incisions of Oak Creek and Mountain Lion Canyon. This survey represents a specific moment of land management by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the USGS, capturing the remote Oak Creek Ranch and the rugged border between Navajo and Gila counties.