1982 Map of Sorrel Horse Mesa

About this map

Petrified Forest National Park occupies the western edge of this landscape, where the high desert terrain transitions into a complex system of plateaus and ephemeral drainages. The area is defined by massive landforms like Blue Mesa and Sorrel Horse Mesa, which rise above a network of washes including Ninemile Wash and the East Fork Dry Wash. This 1982 survey illustrates a landscape managed for water in an arid environment, dotted with numerous cattle tanks and catchments such as Doubtful Tank, Cedar Tank, and Black Knoll Tank. The southern portion is dominated by the Puerco Ridge and the Puerco River, showing the importance of these natural corridors for both topography and transit in Apache County. Notable landmarks like Black Knoll and the narrow passage at Billings Gap provide distinct navigational points within the surrounding high-altitude desert flats.