2011 Map of Vulcans Throne

About this map

Vulcans Throne dominates the northern reaches of this topographic study, standing as a prominent landmark within the Grand Canyon National Park boundaries. This section of the canyon is defined by the dramatic descent into the Colorado River, where the legendary Lava Falls and Lava Falls Rapids create some of the most powerful whitewater in the system. The geography is a complex arrangement of verticality and flat-topped formations, including the Esplanade Bench and Toroweap Point, which offer massive overlooks into the inner gorge. Evidence of the region's volcanic past is etched into the names themselves, from the dark cinder cone of the throne to the Lava Pinnacle further downstream. Moving away from the river, the landscape transitions into the wide Toroweap Valley and the intermittent Toroweap Lake, illustrating the stark contrast between the river's path and the arid plateaus above. Further south, man-made features like Mustang Tank and Elk Tank mark the presence of cattle or wildlife management along the BIA Hwy 11.