1987 Map of The Cheesebox

About this map

The Cheesebox stands as the central landmark in this high desert landscape of San Juan County, which includes a portion of Natural Bridges National Monument along its southern edge. The map details an intricate drainage system where White Canyon and Cheesebox Canyon carve through prominent landforms like Cheesebox Mesa and Found Mesa. Small-scale resource extraction is evident near The Pushout, where several prospects and adits are noted on the terrain. The presence of these mineral explorations, alongside named features like Hideout Canyon and Lone Butte, reflects a mid-20th-century era of remote surveying where the intersection of protected parkland and early mining activity shaped the character of the San Juan region.