Loading map...

1937 Map of Ship Rock

Name: 1937 Topographic Map of Ship Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1937
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1937

About this map

Ship Rock towers over the surrounding high desert, serving as the primary landmark for this mid-1930s survey of the Navajo Indian Reservation. The map details a complex network of seasonal drainages, including Red Wash and Ship Rock Wash, which carve through the arid terrain toward the northern reaches of the quadrangle. Significant geological features such as Mitten Rock and The Thumb are captured alongside the early infrastructure of the Red Rock Highway, reflecting the remote connectivity of the San Juan region during this era.

To the south, the Beautiful Mountains rise near the border of Apache and San Juan Counties, while Tocito Dome stands as a distinct topographic rise in the southeastern corner. The inclusion of reliable water sources like Sheep Spring and Mud Spring provides an essential perspective on how the landscape was navigated and utilized by the Navajo people and early travelers before modern development. This sheet preserves the precise topography of the volcanic plugs and dikes that define this unique section of the Colorado Plateau.