1968 Map of Ruby Canyon

About this map

The Colorado River carves a deep, sinuous path through the sandstone country at the Colorado-Utah state line, defining the dramatic geography of Ruby Canyon. This late-1960s landscape is dominated by the river's hydrology and the infrastructure required to navigate it, including a tunnel and a Gaging Sta positioned along the banks. The Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad tracks parallel the water, serving the remote stop at Shale as the line makes its way toward the border. Named drainages and alluvial flats like Horsethief Canyon, Crow Bottom, and Moore Bottom break up the high desert plateaus of Rabbit Valley. In the northern section, water management is evident at the 6 and 50 Reservoir, which captures runoff from the various branches of Salt Creek before they descend into the canyon system.