2018 Map of Tapeats Amphitheater

About this map

Grand Canyon National Park dominates the southern half of this landscape, where the deeply incised drainages of the Kaibab Plateau drop toward the Colorado River. The complex topography is defined by the Tapeats Amphitheater, a massive basin fed by the subterranean discharge of Thunder Spring and the perennial flow of Thunder River. This network of canyons, including Tapeats Cr and Deer Cr, illustrates the dramatic elevation change between the forested heights of the Kaibab National Forest and the river's Granite Narrows. Prominent overlooks such as Monument Point, Crazy Jug Point, and Parissawampitts Point provide views across the inner canyon’s technical terrain, while named features like Bridgers Knoll and Cogswell Butte stand as isolated landmarks within the Surprise Valley and its surrounding gorge system.