1954 Map of Shinumo Altar

About this map

The Navajo Indian Reservation landscape is defined here by the dramatic rise of the Echo Cliffs, which separate the high Kaibito Plateau from the arid lowlands to the west. In the mid-1950s, this area remained an expansive territory of nomadic grazing and isolated outposts, centered around the Cedar Ridge Trading Post. Water management is the primary evidence of human activity on the land, with numerous small catchments like Blue Moon Reservoir, McClellan Tanks, and Eagle Nest Reservoir dotting the drainages of Hogansaani Wash and Tanner Wash. The topography is marked by distinctive geological formations such as the Shinumo Altar and the Yon Dot Mountains, while cattle operations are evidenced by features like Yellow Door Corral and the Rock Corral Bench. This survey captures a specific era of land use before modern infrastructure reached deep into this corner of Coconino County.