1986 Map of Sun Valley

About this map

Sun Valley sits at the heart of this Navajo County landscape, where the transport corridor of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad and Interstate 40 dictates the local development pattern. The map reveals the confluence of high-desert drainage systems, as the Puerco River winds through sandy washes toward its junction with the Little Colorado River in the southwestern corner. While the settlement at Sun Valley appears relatively sparse, the infrastructure of the mid-1980s is evident through features like the Sewage Disposal Pond and a network of 4wd tracks that provide access to the surrounding arid terrain. Small-scale water management is visible in the form of a Check Dam, hinting at the ongoing efforts to manage the occasional heavy flows of the desert rivers. The rail siding at Arntz further illustrates the historical importance of the railroad to this northern Arizona region.