Exploring Desert Stone: John N. Macomb's 1859 Expedition to the Canyonlands of the Colorado

By: Steven K. Madsen

John N. Macomb's historic expedition - from Santa Fe through the Four Corners region, along the Old Spanish Trail, and into what is now Canyonlands National Park in search of the elusive confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers - left an extensive record of journals, correspondence, and illustrations, containing vivid descriptions and portraying a startling landscape.

Steven K. Madsen, historian of the Spanish Trail, here tells the full story of Macomb's party of topographical engineers, soldiers, and one notable scientist, John S. Newberry. The explorers confirmed the route of the Old Spanish Trail, came within a few miles of the confluence, and produced the earliest accurate cartography of the region. Although the official report of the expedition has long been available in print, most of the documents party members wrote are published here for the first time, along with the illustrations and map, which include the first graphic depictions of some of the Southwest's most amazing scenery.

Other Information:
Published: 2010
Pages: 273 p. and 1 map