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2011 Map of Spencer Canyon

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Spencer Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

The Colorado River cuts through the desert floor of Mohave County in this 2011 survey, creating a dramatic landscape of steep drops and river-carved passages. Remote springs such as Meriwhitica Springs, White Spring, and Spencer Springs serve as critical water sources in an otherwise arid environment, while the Meriwhitica Tank provides a managed water point further inland. The map details the technical challenges of the river itself, identifying the Surprise Rapids and Spencer Rapids that would be of high interest to river navigators and backcountry explorers.

Evidence of human observation and presence appears at Indian Gardens and the Canyon Viewpoint, suggesting established paths for viewing the deep cuts of Spencer Canyon and Meriwhitica Canyon. This modern topographic study preserves the naming of geological landmarks like Lava Cliff and the drainage patterns of Lost Creek and Clay Tank Canyon, providing a precise record of this high-relief landscape as it stood in the early 21st century.