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1962 Map of Powell Plateau

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Powell Plateau
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Grand Canyon National Park and the Kaibab National Forest meet in this 1962 survey, revealing the complex verticality of the North Rim. The landscape is dominated by the massive Powell Plateau, which stands isolated between the Tapeats Amphitheater and Shinumo Amphitheater. This era captures the backcountry before modern visitor infrastructure reached many of these points, focusing instead on the hydrological and geological network of the Middle Granite Gorge.

Strategic points like Big Saddle Camp and the Indian Campground provided essential stops for travelers navigating the high ridges. Deep within the canyons, the Colorado River is marked by treacherous water features including Deubendorff Rapids and Bedrock Rapids. Local history and natural history are intertwined at sites like Thunder Spring and Tapeats Cave, which highlight the subterranean water systems feeding into the river through Tapeats Creek.