1949 Map of Red Canyon

About this map

Mining operations and high mesas dominate this 1949 topographic survey of the Colorado backcountry, conducted in collaboration with the United States Atomic Energy Commission. The canyon landscape is defined by the convergence of the San Miguel River and the Dolores River, where several Placer Mines once operated along the riverbanks. Higher elevation terrain like Blue Mesa, Martin Mesa, and Atkinson Mesa surround the deep incisions of Red Canyon and Moon Canyon.