1971 Map of Snap Canyon West

About this map

The Lake Mead National Recreation Area dominates this early 1970s landscape, where the rising waters of the reservoir meet the ancient geological formations of Mohave County. Along the western edge, the sheer wall of the Cockscomb rises abruptly from Grand Wash Bay, marking a sharp division in the desert terrain. To the south, the Colorado River flows through the Lower Granite Gorge, a transition point where the river leaves the confines of the inner canyon and enters the expanse of Lake Mead. Remote water sources like Chill-Heal Spring and rugged drainages such as Pearce Canyon and Balanced Rock Canyon cut through the Grand Wash Cliffs, leading toward the high elevations of the Sanup Plateau. This survey captures the region's topography before modern recreational development fully transformed the access points along the reservoir's shoreline.