2020 Map of Smith Mesa

About this map

La Verkin and Virgin anchor the southwestern corner of this topographical study, where the landscape dramatically rises toward the high plateaus of southwest Utah. The drainage of the Virgin Wild and Scenic River carves through the terrain, flanked by the massive elevations of Hurricane Mesa and the expansive Smith Mesa. This 2020 map documents the complex relationship between the low-lying settlements and the sheer verticality of the Hurricane Cliffs and Black Ridge. To the north, the boundary of Zion National Park reaches into the area near Red Butte, while a network of rural routes like Smith Mesa Rd and Kolob Reservoir Rd provide access to the remote uplands and the eastern Cave Valley. Local water sources such as Rock Spring and La Verkin Cr define the few corridors through this intensely vertical environment.