Drawn from meticulous 1931–1932 field surveys by the U.S. Department of the Interior Geological Survey, this topographic portrait of northern Bryce Canyon National Park captures the park at a pivotal conservation moment. The New Deal era had catalyzed ambitious stewardship of America’s public lands, and Bryce Canyon—renowned for its hoodoos and vast amphitheaters etched into the Paunsaugunt Plateau—stood at the center of those efforts. Crisp contour lines and a lucid legend bring the park’s dramatic relief to life, revealing the scalloped rim and the labyrinth of gullies and fins that descend into the canyon. As a snapshot of early park planning and access, it preserves both the terrain itself and the evolving philosophy of how to welcome visitors while protecting a fragile landscape.

Surveying rigor is on full display: triangulation points and carefully labeled elevations stitch Bryce Canyon into the wider national geodetic network. The densely layered contours model steep amphitheater walls, isolated high points, and unexpectedly gentle benches, while low valleys and draws trace the slow work of erosion across the Claron Formation. Surveying reference points, precisely fixed on prominent summits and ridge lines, speak to the era’s plane-table methods and the hard-won accuracy of field observations. This is not merely a scenic depiction; it is a technical document that decodes the region’s structure, enabling geologists, rangers, and hikers to read the land with scientific clarity.

Water, scarce yet decisive on this high desert plateau, is rendered with unusual completeness. Perennial and seasonal streams are distinguished from ephemeral washes; springs and seep-fed marshes are noted alongside lakes and seasonal basins that wink in and out with snowmelt cycles. Irrigation ditches on the park’s margins testify to earlier settlement and ingenious redirection of flow, contextualizing the park within its human watershed. These hydrographic notes double as a biodiversity ledger: where springs emerge, habitat clusters; where marshes broaden, waterfowl and riparian corridors once thickened. The map thus charts the choreography between rock and water that sculpts hoodoos, nourishes meadows, and shapes the visitor experience from rim overlooks to shaded canyon bottoms.

Routes are depicted with exceptional clarity, with paved and unpaved roads highlighted for instant legibility and dirt roads fanning into backcountry reaches. Purpose-built trails, including historic paths improved during the 1930s, stitch the rim to the amphitheater floor, while access points and park service buildings indicate the embryonic infrastructure of interpretation and protection. This framework reflects a maturing National Park Service ethos: concentrate travel where the land can bear it, reveal the park’s wonders by design rather than accident. Seen here, the evolution of visitor circulation—from auto approaches to footpaths—mirrors the broader American embrace of scenic touring, road-building, and carefully planned wilderness encounters.

Legible boundaries frame the park’s jurisdictional story, while symbols for geological formations and wildlife habitats underscore its scientific and ecological significance. The map’s balanced emphasis—terrain, water, routes, and management—captures a precise historical moment when conservation ideals were translated into actionable geography. For historians, it records the New Deal’s tangible imprint; for geologists, a clear cross-section of plateau-edge processes; for collectors and explorers, an eloquent guide to the amphitheater country that made Bryce Canyon famous. It is both field manual and cultural artifact, preserving how mid-century America chose to see, study, and safeguard a landscape unlike any other.

Places on this map

• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Triangulation Points
• Streams
• Seasonal Streams
• Irrigation Ditches
• Lakes
• Seasonal Lakes
• Springs
• Marshes
• Dirt Roads
• Paved Roads
• Parks Infrastructure (e.g., buildings related to park services)
• Trails (specific routes for hiking)
• Access Point Locations (noted on the map)
• High Points (elevation markers)
• Low Valleys (identified for geological interest)
• Wildlife Habitats (specific markers might indicate these)
• Significant geological formations (noted on the map)
• Historic Trails (linked to park history)
• Surveying Reference Points (detailed in cartographic data)

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Contour Lines: Indicating elevation changes.
• Paved and Unpaved Roads: Highlighted in red for visibility.
• Dirt Roads: Showing access routes throughout the region.
• Trails: Marked for hiking and exploration.
• Triangulation Points: Used for surveying authorities.
• Elevation Labels: Indicating significant altitude changes throughout the region.
• Water Features: Including streams, seasonal streams, irrigation ditches, lakes, and springs.
• Marshes: Documenting the ecological diversity of the area.
• Boundaries: Clearly outlined for park jurisdiction.

Historical and design context

• Creation Date: Originally created from surveying work in 1931-1932 and reprinted in 1947.
• Historical Context: This period saw significant conservation efforts by the National Park Service as a result of New Deal programs. Bryce Canyon, noted for its unique geological features, was integral to these initiatives.
• Publisher: U.S. Department of the Interior Geological Survey.
• Design Elements: The map design is thorough, with distinct contour lines and a clearly defined legend that explains the various symbols used for different geographical features.
• Themes: It illustrates routes (both paved and unpaved), geological formations, and ecological diversity, emphasizing infrastructure for visitor access and exploration.
• Historical Significance: The map captures a specific moment in time regarding the topography and access routes of Bryce Canyon, serving as a record of historical surveying methods and conservation efforts.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This is a very large map that must be ordered at a large size, so that you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.