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2021 Map of Toenleshushe Canyon

Name: 2021 Topographic Map of Toenleshushe Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2021
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2021

About this map

Navajo National Monument and the surrounding high desert topography dominate this portion of Coconino County, characterized by a complex network of deep drainages. The landscape is defined by massive sandstone features, including the Natural Arch and Eggshell Arch, which stand near the winding course of Toenleshushe Canyon. This area is a significant archaeological and geological study site, notably containing the Inscription House Ruin Spring, a name that points to the ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings protected within the monument's boundaries.

Water sources are scarce across the Shonto Plateau and Gray Mesa, with Navajo Creek and Nitsin Canyon serving as the primary geographical markers for this arid terrain. The map details a transition from the high mesas down into intricate systems like Potato Canyon and Binne Etteni Canyon, showing a land where travel is dictated by the natural breaks in the rimrock. Modern access is limited, primarily represented by Indian Rte 16 crossing the southeastern corner.