1886 Map of Price River

About this map

Denver & Rio Grande R R tracks follow the winding course of the Price River, creating a vital transportation corridor through the central Utah landscape during the late nineteenth century. This Powell Survey reconnaissance identifies several early rail stops and settlements, including Castle Gate, Sunny Side, and Price, which served as critical nodes for local trade and industry. To the east, the dramatic relief of the Roan or Book Cliffs and the Bad Land Cliffs dominate the horizon, leading toward the deep incision of Desolation Canyon on the Green River. The map illustrates a stark geographic transition from the high Wasatch Plateau down into the Gunnison Valley, recording the early boundaries of the Uinta National Forest and the isolated outposts like Grassy Trail and Lower Crossing that defined life in Emery County.