Description:
The New River Mesa Quadrangle is located along the northern fringe of the Phoenix
metropolitan area. The quadrangle includes several high-standing mesas, and although the
rugged terrain of the New River Mesa area is undeveloped, the area to the south is becoming
increasingly urbanized and is undergoing rapid population growth. Geologic mapping was
related to other previous and ongoing mapping projects of urban fringe areas located to the
north and northeast of the Phoenix metropolitan area. A series of color 1 : 24,000-scale aerial
photographs (dated 11-5-79 and 6-11-88) were obtained from the U. S. Department of Interior
and the Tonto National Forest office in Phoenix, and these were used by the field geologists
to assist with mapping and to identify contacts in areas where access was limited due to
private land holdings. This study is contiguous with geologic mapping recently completed in
the Humboldt Mountain Quadrangle to the east (Gilbert and others, 1998).
Road access for most parts of the quadrangle is limited. Portions in the southwestern
corner along lower Cave Creek are accessible on Forest Road 48 from Cave Creek.
Grapevine Wash, in the southeast corner, is accessible along private roads that serve
subdivisions north of Carefree. The northern third of the map area is accessible from a
system of primitive Forest Roads that can be reached from graded Forest Roads 24, 41, and
17 from the north and east of the map area. Additional roads that provide access to inactive
mines or mining claims are commonly locked and not accessible to the public. Most of the
land and trails within the map area are administered by the Tonto National Forest, and areas
in the east-central part of the map area were reached by walking or horseback along a welldeveloped
trail system.
Report and geologic map of the New River Mesa 7.5' Quadrangle, Maricopa County, Arizona,
scale 1:24,000.