1954 Map of Tidwell 1 SW

About this map

The San Rafael River winds through the southeastern corner of this mid-1950s terrain, converging toward the mighty Green River as it carves through the high desert of the Colorado Plateau. This preliminary survey illustrates a landscape defined by extreme isolation and topographic relief, where the boundary between Emery and Grand counties follows the natural course of the water. Human activity is sparse, centered on the Chaffin Ranch and a solitary Jeep Trail that provides the only named access through the canyon systems. Notable landforms include the elevated Wood Bench and seasonal catchments like Dry Lake and simply Lake, which emphasize the arid environment before modern development. The map serves as a primary record of the region's geography just as aerial photogrammetry was becoming the standard for documenting the American West.