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1953 Map of The Spur

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of The Spur
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Tidwell Ranch and the isolated landmark The Mailbox anchor this 1953 survey of the remote desert landscape where the Green River carves through Stillwater Canyon. The map reveals a complex system of river bottoms, including Fort Bottom and Anderson Bottom, tucked beneath the towering Orange Cliffs. This terrain, characterized by the prominent plateau of The Spur, contains significant archaeological and geological markers, such as documented Petroglyphs near Barrier Creek and a Natural Arch on the Head of the Spur.

The landscape is defined by its water sources and dramatic vertical relief, from the depths of Horsethief Canyon to the high point of Cleopatras Chair. Cattle ranching history is evidenced by features like Twin Corral Flat, Lower Pasture, and numerous named seeps and springs like Wildcat Spring and Burro Seep. This sheet is particularly valuable for tracing the early 1950s geography of the Emery, Wayne, and San Juan county borders before modern access changed the region.