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2017 Map of Three Fords Canyon

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Three Fords Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

The Green River carves a deep path through this section of the Colorado Plateau, defining the border between Emery and Grand counties. This 2017 survey documents a sequence of navigation-critical water features, most notably the Three Fords Rapids, Last Chance Rapids, and Range Creek Rapids. The river corridor is flanked by dramatic elevation shifts, where high plateaus like Pinnacle Mesa and Boulder Mesa tower over the canyon floor.

Names on the landscape suggest historical routes and cattle-driving challenges, from the Three Golden Stairs to the flat grazing areas of Beaver Slide Bottom and Rabbit Valley. This map is a record of a high-desert wilderness where the hydrological power of the river meets a geography of canyons and benches, including Wire Fence Canyon and the Last Chance Benches. The lack of road infrastructure reflects the enduring isolation of this river-cut terrain.