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1970 Map of Tonalea

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Tonalea
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The boundary between the Navajo Indian Reservation and the Hopi Indian Reservation bisects this high desert landscape, anchoring the settlement of Tonalea and its central hub at Red Lake (Tonalea PO). The community serves as a vital junction where a local Trading Post and George-Smith Hist Mon stand near the iconic Elephant Feet rock formations. This era of the late 1960s and early 1970s shows the region's reliance on scattered water sources and infrastructure, including the Sewage Disposal Ponds and a prominent Water Tank near the main road.

Erosive forces are etched across the terrain, from the sprawling Red Lake Valley to the shifting Sand Dunes near Red Lake. Seasonal drainages like Begashibito Wash and Narrow Wash weave through the sandstone topography, while isolated landmarks such as Mormon Well and Side Rock Well highlight the historical importance of reliable water in the arid basin. A network of Jeep Trails and a major Pipeline cut through the reservation lands, tracing the modernization of the Arizona interior.