Published in 1960 using survey data from 1948, the US Geological Survey’s “Aspen Grove” captures a dramatic section of Utah’s Wasatch country at a moment before modern recreation fully transformed the landscape. Centered on the Sundance area and the forested slopes of the Uinta National Forest, the map presents a meticulous 1:24,000 topographic portrait of canyons, ridges, creeks, roads, and trails. Its original title evokes both place and atmosphere: a high mountain setting where groves, drainages, and steep contours define the experience of the terrain. The map’s fine contouring reveals abrupt elevation changes, making it not merely a geographic record but a visual study of the rugged landforms that shaped travel, settlement, and recreation in this part of Utah.

The cartographic language of the USGS is especially compelling here: contour lines gather tightly across steep slopes, then relax into gentler intervals where valleys and benches open beneath the mountains. Vibrant green shading marks forested terrain, creating a clear contrast with lighter beige areas of exposed or less wooded land. This color logic gives the map an immediate sense of elevation, cover, and accessibility, allowing the viewer to read the land almost intuitively. Roads and unnamed trails thread through the mountainous setting, suggesting routes into an area that was still deeply tied to wilderness. Bear Creek Reservoir, Deer Creek references, and the surrounding watercourses offer a hydrological framework for the region, anchoring the steep topography in a network of mountain drainage.

Sundance, Utah, is the principal human landmark on the map, though in this 1948-surveyed landscape it appears within a much broader natural stage. Today the name is strongly associated with skiing, alpine recreation, and year-round outdoor culture, but this map preserves the area at a quieter point in its evolution. The steep ridges and forested canyons that later made the region attractive to winter sports enthusiasts are already powerfully evident in the contours. Long before resort infrastructure became the dominant identity of the place, the terrain itself was the draw: deep snow, high slopes, cool forests, and mountain access close to the population centers of Utah Valley. The map quietly documents that transition from remote upland to celebrated recreation destination.

The presence of Uinta National Forest gives the map an added historical and environmental resonance. Federal forest lands in Utah were managed not only for timber and watershed protection, but also for grazing, access, and eventually public recreation. In the Aspen Grove quadrangle, these uses converge in a landscape of steep hillsides, creek corridors, and high-elevation vegetation. The map’s unnamed roads and trails hint at practical movement through the terrain—routes used by foresters, ranchers, hunters, hikers, and early visitors seeking mountain air. Its careful depiction of vegetation underscores the importance of forest cover in shaping both the appearance and utility of the region. The green-toned slopes are more than decorative; they identify a living mountain environment integral to Utah’s natural heritage.

As a historical topographic document, “Aspen Grove” offers a fascinating view of a landscape poised between wilderness and recreation. The USGS style is precise and restrained, yet the subject matter is richly expressive: ridgelines rising in close succession, reservoirs and creeks occupying folds of the land, and trails vanishing into wooded high country. The map invites study by anyone interested in Sundance’s development, Wasatch Mountain geography, or the broader story of western outdoor tourism. It records the physical foundations of a destination later known for skiing, hiking, and scenic retreat, while preserving the earlier character of the place in fine cartographic detail. Elegant, technical, and evocative, it is a portrait of Utah’s mountain terrain before leisure culture fully claimed it.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Sundance, Utah
• Uinta National Forest
• Bear Creek Reservoir
• Various unnamed trails and roads
• Deer Creek / Deer Creek Reservoir
• Mountains and ridges throughout the area

Historical context & cartographic details

• Map name: Aspen Grove
• Published by the US Geological Survey (USGS)
• Created using survey data from 1948 and published in 1960
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map of the surrounding Utah mountain landscape
• Features detailed contour lines showing elevation, terrain variation, and steep inclines
• Emphasizes a mountainous landscape with significant elevation changes and vegetation cover
• Reflects the region’s shift over time from a largely wild area to a destination for outdoor recreation and winter sports
• Uses vibrant green hues to highlight forested areas, contrasted with lighter beige tones for exposed land
• Cartographic design clearly represents natural features, including forest cover, ridges, slopes, and drainage areas

Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.

Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.

Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.

With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.

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.