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1963 Map of Robbers Roost Canyon

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Robbers Roost Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The San Rafael Desert dominates this high-plateau landscape, where the rugged drainages of Robbers Roost Canyon and its many forks carve deep into the sandstone. During the early 1960s, this area remained a sparsely populated frontier of ranching and livestock movement, centered around isolated points like Biddlecome Ranch and Village Home. The complex network of canyons, including Blue John Canyon and No Mans Canyon, is interspersed with vital water sources such as Robbers Roost Spring, Blue John Spring, and Granary Spring, which were essential for survival in this arid environment.

Evidence of human activity is primarily limited to small-scale improvements and traditional routes. The Angels Trail descends toward Angels Point, while several scattered Landing Strips suggest the increasing role of light aircraft in managing this remote territory. From the Dirty Devil River in the southwest to the Antelope Valley Corral in the northeast, the map reveals a landscape defined by its names — Deadman Hill, Hooch Spring, and Saucer Basin — alluding to the cattlemen and outlaws who once moved through these breaks.