1953 Map of Orange Cliffs 3 SE

About this map

Big Ridge dominates the northern elevation of this landscape, part of a preliminary topographic study mapped by the Geological Survey in the early 1950s. The area is defined by extreme vertical relief and complex drainage systems, where North Hatch Canyon and South Hatch Canyon carve deep paths through the high plateaus of Garfield County. This sheet was produced using multiplex methods from aerial photography taken in 1951 and 1952, capturing the precise contours of landforms like Buckacre Point and the prominent Fiddler Butte. The isolation of The South Black Ridge suggests a wilderness area defined by its geological structure rather than human settlement, as no roads or buildings are marked within these steep canyon walls. It represents a specific moment in the mid-century mapping of the Colorado Plateau, prior to the completion of the standard fifteen-minute series.