Arizona Maps & Atlases

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For street maps and atlases of Arizona cities, go to this page.

For Arizona wall maps, go to this page.

For maps of Arizona parks and forests, go to this page.

Detailed topographic maps of the entire state, 53 quads total. The maps show elevation contours, roads, railroads, major powerlines, woodlands, lakes, quarries, campgrounds, publicly-owned land, and much more. Charts give information about national lands, campgrounds, BLM recreation sites, state parks, Indian lands, boat launch sites, historic sites, museums, wildlife viewing, and unique natural features. Other pages in the Gazetteer highlight fishing, hunting, biking, hiking, scenic drives, and a two-page detailed map of the Grand Canyon in the vicinity of the South Rim.

Benchmark's award-winning state atlas, divided into six sections: Regional Maps, Recreation Guides, Landscape Maps, Public Lands Maps, Metro Area Maps, and Index. The heart of the atlas are the Landscape and the Public Lands maps. The former are detailed road maps which emphasize the topography, with tinting showing the major elevation levels (see sample below right). The Public Lands maps repeat the same areas shown on the landscape maps, and also show mountains with shaded relief, but the color scheme boldly emphasizes federal or state ownership, i.e. which lands are BLM, Forest Service, National Parks, Indian Lands, etc.

Rather than merely compile its maps from government sources, Benchmark actually sends people out in the field to check the accuracy of many of the roads depicted. Thus, you are less likely when using these maps to come upon a back road shown on the map which no longer exists, or which is inaccessible behind a locked gate.

This atlas also includes a general two-page map of the US highway system (except Alaska and Hawaii), a regional map showing the main federal and state highways of the entire Southwest, a map of the whole state, a topographic contour map of the most viewed and visited part of the Grand Canyon, and an eleven page section showing the main streets of both metropolitan Phoenix and Tucson. You also get a recreation guide with details on camping, boating, golf, and RV park sites.

New title in the Thomas Guide series covers the entire state in 227 pages. Color tints distinguish Indian Reservations, National Forests, National Parks and Monuments, State Parks, and Wilderness Areas. Gives a clear depiction of major and secondary highways. The maps show what are probably thousands of miles of dirt roads, but most of these are not labelled, and in some cases old roads which are now used only as hiking trails are not distinguished from the drivable roads.

This is one aspect of the atlas that looks like a missed opportunity for this 1st Edition, for the scale of the regional atlas pages which make up most of the book is larger (which should mean more detailed) than those of the Delorme and Benchmark atlases above, yet they used a simplified map database which doesn't include nearly as much usable information as the two alternatives. It does show a lot of drainage patterns not as evident on the other atlases, but most of them are not labelled. For the coverage of highways and important sideroads, the atlas is only a little more useful than a folded road map such as the GTR Topographical Recreational Map of Arizona described below (but don't expect to find the locations of campgrounds and other outdoor recreational sites in this atlas, because they are not shown). One of the few advantages the main atlas pages have are that because they are a larger scale and don't emphasize much detail, the highways are somewhat easier to read.

To help make up for some of the limitations of the regional map pages, there are 37 pages of detailed street maps for various cities around the state, plus part of Las Vegas. These are mostly good quality comprehensive street maps—for that part of the city they manage to fit in. If the city is too big to fit on one page, they sometimes use two or more pages, but as often as not, they just choose to ignore the rest of it. For example, the street plan of the small town of Williams is shown in its entirety, but Flagstaff, which would need four pages at this scale to adequately cover, is given just one page (centered on Northern Arizona University and the older parts of the city).

Street detail coverage is as follows: southern Las Vegas (including the Strip and McCarran Airport), 2 pages; Page (including Glen Canyon Dam), complete on 1 page; Grand Canyon Village (the most inaccurate map of this area I have ever seen, showing road connections that don't exist and lacking connections that do, and mistaking utility corridors for roads—don't use it, get a free map of the village from the park entrance station), on one page; much of Bullhead City and Laughlin, on two pages; most of Kingman (omitting outer areas), two pages; all of Williams, one page; part of Flagstaff, one page; almost all of Sedona, two pages; part of Lake Havasu City, one page; about one-third of Prescott, one page; about half of the developed parts of Surprise, one page; part of Peoria and adjacent cities, two pages; central Phoenix (including the capitol and Sky Harbor Airport), six pages; part of Scottsdale, one page; parts of Mesa and Tempe, three pages; part of Chandler, one page; much of Yuma, one page; part of Casa Grande, one page; part of Tucson, four pages; much of Sierra Vista, two pages; and lastly, much of Nogales, on one page.

The atlas includes some touring information, with a couple of pages devoted to describing highlights along a Best of the Road trip from Scottsdale to Grand Canyon, with side trips to Flagstaff and Sedona. There is also a list of festivals with brief descriptions and contact information. These introductory pages also include an extensive mileage chart (which help make up for the fact that point-to-point distances are not provided on the regional and street maps).

All in all, this atlas is mostly oriented to the business traveller who wouldn't think of camping along the way or driving off on dirt roads, and who needs only the street details of downtown sections of cities. The publishers could make it more useful for this purpose if they reduced the scale of the regional pages and put the same information on one-quarter of the number of pages, then used the extra space to increase the number of street map pages by about three-fold.

The map clearly distinguishes the various classes of roads. Point-to-point mileages are indicated in miles. Other features shown include campgrounds, wayside picnic areas and rest areas, parks, national forests, Indian reservations, airports, and more.

On the reverse side is a travel guide to the state briefly describing major attractions throughout. Small maps show street details of Downtown Phoenix, Phoenix and Vicinity, Flagstaff, Prescott, Sierra Vista, Tucson, Downtown Tucson, and Yuma. Additional maps show the Grand Canyon National Park in more detail, and Petrified Forest National Park. Separate charts for both state and national park and recreation areas list the facilities and activities available in each.

Clear, basic road map printed on two sides. The full state map is on one side, and it clearly distinguishes all classes of roads. Also shows Indian Reservations, National Parks, National Monuments, National Forests, National Wildlife Refuges, State Parks, and military bases. Also shows major, local and military airports, camping, points of interest, ski resorts and more. Unlike other (frankly, better) maps, this one does not show point to point road mileages; but it does include a mileage chart enabling you to calculate the distances between important cities of Arizona and several adjacent states, in both miles and kilometers. There are also two detailed charts indicating the facilities and activities of National Park Service and Arizona State Parks units. Cities are fully indexed.

On the reverse side are seven detail maps showing major roads or streets of Tucson, Lake Mead, Grand Canyon, Kingman, Yuma, Flagstaff, and Phoenix. There are three additional charts like the ones on the other side for the National Park Service and Arizona State Parks, but these for Bureau of Land Management, Navajo Tribal Parks, and USDA Forest Service, detailing, as the others do, the facilities and activities available in each unit.

Durable laminated road map and guide printed on two sides. On one side is the map of the whole state; it is as detailed as the average state road map, but because it is also smaller, the print is smaller as well. Roads of all classes are clearly distinguished, and point to point mileages are indicated along major roads. Shaded relief shows the location of mountains and canyons (including a certain Grand one of the latter). Color tints show the location of National Parks, Monuments, Recreation Areas, Wildlife Refuges, and Forests, Indian Reservations, and Military Reservations. Also shows public campgrounds, points of interest, visitor information centers, airports, and ski areas. Insets show the major streets of Bullhead City and Laughlin, Yuma, Flagstaff, and Tucson and vicinity, and all the streets of Downtown Phoenix; plus insets showing details of Saguaro and Petrified Forest National Parks. A small mileage chart helps you calculate distances between key places in the state, a climate chart gives monthly temperature and "days with precipitation" averages for Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson. An index helps you locate the numerous cities and towns on the map and also lists their populations.

On the reverse side is a travel guide which describes points of interest in short paragraphs which show the influence of National Geographic's quality writing. There are also two additional maps: major roads of Phoenix and vicinity, and a detail of Grand Canyon National Park. The descriptions are enhanced by excellent color photos of sights throughout the state. You also get a chart of Park Service sites in the state which indicates the facilities and activities of each. Finally, there is a calendar of major annual events and contact information.

Detailed road map printed on two sides, revised and now printed in multiple colors. One side shows the entire region of the Navajo and Hopi Reservations, and also some of the adjacent reservations, such as the Zuni and Ute Mountain. The main advantage of this map over state road maps is that it shows some dirt roads not included elsewhere, and also shows the location of trading posts and chapter houses.

On the reverse side are detail maps of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Chaco Culture National Historic Park, and Canyon de Chelly National Monument, accompanied by short descriptions. Twenty-four points of interest are briefly described and keyed to the main map. The maps are interspersed with traditional representative art of the tribes.

Excellent detailed road map printed on two sides also employs shaded relief to show the form of the mountains and canyons, and distinct color tints to show land ownership/management. This one shows the northeastern quarter of the state, with one side covering the area from Vermillion Cliffs in the upper left, Four Corners in the upper right, San Francisco Peaks in the lower left, and the town of Sanders in the lower right. This side is dominated by the Navajo and Hopi reservations, and also features Canyon de Chelly National Monument.

The reverse side overlaps a bit in coverage, and extends from San Francisco Peaks and Wupatki National Monument in the upper left, to Window Rock in the upper right, Mazatzal Wilderness and Payson in the lower left, and the towns of Springerville and Eagar in the lower right. This side features the lower third of the Navajo Reservation, Petrified Forest National Park, and the Mogollon Rim.

This series of Arizona regional maps uses the same Public Lands cartography of Benchmark's own Arizona Road & Recreation Atlas, described above. They distinguish lands managed by the following agencies: Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Wilderness, Military, State Lands, State Parks, National Parks & Monuments, Wildlife Areas, Bureau of Reclamation, Indian Lands, and "other" (usually private) lands. Roads of all sizes are plotted, from freeways to unpaved, with more detail than you would generally find on a statewide road map. Point to point mileages are indicated for most paved roads. Also shows campgrounds, airfields, airports, railways, rest areas, and the usually features shown on any good road map. The cities, towns, campgrounds, parks, and other features are fully indexed.

Excellent detailed road map printed on two sides also employs shaded relief to show the form of the mountains and canyons, and distinct color tints to show land ownership/management (see sample at right). This one shows the northwestern quarter of the state, with one side covering the entire Grand Canyon region. On this side, Lake Mead and adjacent Nevada are in the upper left, Paria Plateau and Lees Ferry the upper right, Lake Mohave and Golden Valley in the lower left, and the town of Williams and San Francisco Peaks in the lower right. This side also shows old Route 66 between Kingman and Williams.

The reverse side overlaps the first side in coverage, and extends from Lake Mohave and Dolan Springs in the upper left, to Valle and the San Francisco Peaks in the upper right, Parker Dam and Parker Valley in the lower left, and the Bradshaw Mountains in the lower right. This side also includes Needles, California, Kingman, Lake Havasu City, Williams, Prescott, Cottonwood, Sedona, and Camp Verde.

This new revised edition uses the enhanced, more detailed shaded relief of the newer editions of the Arizona Road & Recreation Atlas already mentioned above. The boundaries and numbers of Arizona Game and Fish Department's Game Management Units have been added.

Excellent detailed road map printed on two sides also employs shaded relief to show the form of the mountains and canyons, and distinct color tints to show land ownership/management. This one shows the southeastern quarter of the state, with Cordes Junction in the upper left, Eagar and Springerville the upper right, Casa Grande in the lower left, and the Safford and Clifton in the lower right. Most of Phoenix and all of Mesa are prominent at the left of the map, while the Fort Apache and San Carlos Indian Reservations dominate the right side.

The reverse side overlaps the first side in coverage, and shows the southern part of the region. Casa Grande is in the upper left corner of this side, Clifton in the upper right, Baboquivari Valley and portions of Sonora, Mexico in the lower left, and Douglas and the Chiricahua Mountains in the lower right. This side also includes Tucson, Saguaro National Park, Sierra Vista, Benson, Tombstone, Bisbee, Wilcox, and Chiricahua National Monument.

Excellent detailed road map printed on two sides also employs shaded relief to show the form of the mountains and canyons, and distinct color tints to show land ownership/management. This map shows the southwestern quarter of the state, with Interstate 10 bisecting the region. In the upper left is a part of California around Vidal Junction and Parker Dam, in the upper right are the Bradshaw Mountains and Cordes Junction, Yuma is in the lower left, and Maricopa in the lower right. At the far right is Blythe, California, and most of Phoenix and all of Peoria and Glendale are prominent at the left of the map. Other places shown on this side are Wickenburg, Quartzsite, Alamo Lake, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, and Gila Bend.

The reverse side overlaps the first side in coverage, and shows the southern part of the region. Yuma is in the upper left corner of this side, Maricopa in the upper right, the upper portions of the Gulf of California in the lower left. The US-Mexico border slants across the middle of this side. Major roads and cities and mountain ranges are shown on the Mexican side of the border, though other features are not shown in as much detail as the US portion. This side also shows Gila Bend, Ajo, and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

This new edition uses more finely detailed relief shading than the others in the series, and now includes the boundaries of Arizona Game Management Units (GMUs). An inset show the GMUs for the entire state, plus location and contact information for Arizona Game and Fish.

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