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2023 Map of Papoose Canyon

Name: 2023 Topographic Map of Papoose Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2023
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2023

About this map

Wrights marks a rare point of named settlement in this high-desert plateau landscape where the Utah-Colorado state line bisects a network of deep-cut drainages. The area is defined by its canyon systems, including Papoose Canyon, Nancy Patterson Canyon, and Ruin Canyon, which weave between elevated features like Bug Point and The Horn. These canyons and points often carry names that suggest a long history of human transit and observation, such as Sego Point and White Rock.

Water sources are scarce but critical, anchored by Tucker Spring and Lake Canyon. The map records a complex boundary zone where San Juan County, Utah, meets Dolores and Montezuma Counties in Colorado. The density of named "points" and "knobs," such as Gobblers Knob and Spook Point, highlights a landscape where topographic landmarks serve as the primary navigational aids across the high tablelands.