Published in 1972 using survey data from 1968, the United States Geological Survey’s “South Navarre Peak” presents a precise and evocative portrait of the Lake Chelan high country in Washington. At a scale of 1:24,000, it focuses on the dramatic meeting of water, forest, and mountain relief around the southern reaches of Navarre Peak. Lake Chelan, one of the defining geographic features of the North Cascades region, anchors the composition with its long, glacially carved form, while the surrounding slopes rise sharply into Wenatchee National Forest. The result is a map that captures both scientific exactitude and the austere grandeur of a landscape shaped by ice, water, and elevation.

The US Geological Survey brings its characteristic clarity and authority to this map, translating a complex mountain environment into an elegant system of contour lines, elevations, drainage patterns, roads, and trails. Founded in the nineteenth century, the USGS became indispensable to the mapping of the American West, providing the data used for land management, engineering, conservation, and exploration. Here, that institutional precision is especially valuable: the rugged terrain around South Navarre Peak is rendered with close attention to slope, ridge, valley, and watershed. The map is not merely a navigational document, but a record of how federal cartography understood and organized remote public lands in the late twentieth century.

Lake Chelan and the Chelan River form the hydrological heart of the sheet, accompanied by smaller waterways such as Upper and Lower Joe Creek and numerous unnamed creeks descending through narrow valleys. These streams give structure to the mountains, carving the land into interlocking drainage basins and guiding the eye through the map’s dense topographic language. Navarre Peak itself stands as a central landmark, surrounded by steep gradients and high-elevation terrain. The contours reveal a landscape of abrupt ascents and folded ridgelines, where travel is dictated by watercourses, passes, and forest routes. Roads and trails within Wenatchee National Forest hint at access into country otherwise defined by remoteness and verticality.

One of the map’s most compelling visual qualities is its use of color-coded relief and contouring to communicate elevation. The pink-toned shading applied to higher areas gives immediate visual emphasis to the mountainous character of the region, distinguishing uplands from lower valleys and shorelines. This design choice enhances the map’s readability while also lending it a striking aesthetic character, especially when paired with the disciplined geometry of USGS contour work. The interplay between shaded relief and fine linework conveys both texture and measurement: a viewer can appreciate the sweep of the terrain at a glance, then study individual elevations, creeks, and routes in close detail.

As a historical document, “South Navarre Peak” preserves a view of the Lake Chelan region at a moment when recreation, conservation, forestry, and regional development were all reshaping the Pacific Northwest. Since the 1968 survey, the surrounding landscape has likely witnessed changing patterns of trail use, forest management, tourism, and environmental protection. Wenatchee National Forest, long valued for timber, wildlife habitat, watersheds, and outdoor recreation, appears here in a form both practical and quietly majestic. The map invites comparison between past and present: roads may have changed, recreational access may have expanded, and conservation priorities may have evolved, yet the enduring drama of lake, forest, creek, and peak remains unmistakable.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Lake Chelan
• Wenatchee National Forest
• Chelan River
• Upper and Lower Joe Creek
• Navarre Peak
• Various contour lines with elevations marked
• Roads and trails within the Wenatchee National Forest
• Several unnamed valleys and creeks

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the United States Geological Survey, known for scientific research and mapping services.
• Historical 1:24,000 topographical map dated 1968 with a 1972 imprint.
• Uses color-coded relief shading and contour lines to show elevation changes and landforms.
• Pink shading highlights areas of elevation and improves visual understanding of the terrain.
• Depicts rugged mountainous terrain with valleys and significant elevation changes.
• Provides useful topographic information for outdoor recreation and land-use planning.
• Reflects a region that may have experienced changes in land use, recreation, tourism, and conservation since the late 1960s.

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.