1954 Map of Stinking Spring Creek 4 NE

About this map

San Rafael Desert dominates the landscape in this mid-century preliminary study, where drainage patterns and water sources dictated the rhythm of movement through the arid terrain. The complex topography is marked by deeply incised features like Ernie Canyon and the notable Iron Woman formation. Water, the most critical resource for early explorers and ranchers, is meticulously documented at sites such as Morman Tanks and Swazy Seep. Several dry channels, including Temple Wash, Iron Wash, and Old Woman Wash, carve paths toward the east, illustrating the erosion-heavy character of the region. These intermittent washes and isolated springs like Lost Spring and Temple Spring served as essential landmarks for navigation across the open desert flats and benchlands of Emery County before the era of modern development.