When I peruse Arizona’s topographic maps, once in a while I come across place names that are sinister or gruesome in nature, so much so that you have to wonder how some of them were officially approved to appear on our maps. By the way, in the United States, all names that appear on our official federal topographic maps have been approved by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
There’s a lot of ground to cover here, so what I decided to do was gather the names into groups that made some kind of sense (there are a lot of them). Obviously, the folks who suggested that these names should be included on our maps had vivid imaginations. As you read, look for names in blue and click on them – those are links that will take you to more information and sometimes pictures. We’ll start with names that depict humans in various forms.
Butcher: I found Butcher Camp; Butcher Windmill; Butcher Tank; Butcher Creek; Butcher Corral Point. And butcher knife seems to be popular: Butcher Knife Corral; Butcher Knife Spring; Butcherknife Corral; Butcherknife Hill; Butcher Knife Canyon (2 of these).
Cripple: we have a Cripple Tank and a Cripple Cat Tank.
Hangman: I found Hangmans Canyon; Hangmans Draw; Hangmans Tank. No apostrophes in these official names.
Robber: we have Robbers Roost (3 times); Robber Tank; Robbers Roost Tank (2); Robbers Roost Spring (2); Robbers Roost Canyon (2); Robbers Roost Mountain.
Savage: Savage Dam; Savage Tunnel Spring; Savage Well.
Thief: this one was pretty popular, as I found: Horsethief Basin; Horsethief Bench; Horsethief Dam; Horsethief Lake; Horsethief Tank (2); Horsethief Creek; Horsethief Lookout Tower; Horsethief Canyon (3 of them); Water Thief Canyon.
Now, how about names that depict sad or creepy locations, such as these:
Cemetery: Cemetery Tank (5 of them); Cemetery Ridge; Cemetery Wash; Cametery Canyon.
Grave: Dutchman Grave Spring; Graveyard Canyon; Graveyard Gulch; Graveyard Spring; in addition, I found no less than 9 times the word Grave with the name of its occupant, usually in remote areas far from any cemetery.
Hell: this is one popular word used in our place names – check out the following: Hell Hole; Hells Half Acre (4); Hells Hole (5); Hells Pocket; Hellhole Bend; Hell Point; Big Hells Gate; Hell Canyon; Hells Gate (3); Little Hells Gate; Hell Hole Overlook; Hell Tank (2); Hells Canyon Tank (3); Hells Hole Tank; Hells Hollow Tank; Hells Tank; Hells Uncle Tank; Hells Gate Ridge; Hells Neck Ridge; Hells Canyon Spring; Hell Hole Spring; Hells Dive Spring; Hells Hole Creek; Hells Hole; Hells Hole Peak; Hells Gate Trail; Hell Canyon (2); Hell Hole Valley; Hells Canyon (4); Hells Gate Canyon; Hells Half Acre Canyon; Hells Hip Pocket; Hells Hole Canyon (2); Hells Hollow (2); Hells Well; and my favorite – Hellsapoppin Well.
Hideout: there are even 2 features with this sneaky name: Greggs Hideout; The Hideout.
Hospital: we have Hospital Flat (2); Hospital Tank; Hospital Ridge.
Purgatory: we find Purgatory Tank; Purgatory Canyon; Little Purgatory Canyon. Sounds like a rough place, or somebody had a miserable experience in the area.
And what about scary creatures.
Giant: a few good names here: Copper Giant Mine; Giant Mine; Little Giant Mine; Mica Giant Mine; Little Giant Spring; Giant Canyon; Sitting Giant Rock Wash; and my favorite, Giants Chair.
Monster: Blue Monster Spring; and our famous reptile – Gila Monster Mine and Gila Monster Canyon. They might not seem so scary, unless you get bitten by one!
I scanned the maps and looked for names from the spirit world, profane or sacred, or such related things, and I found quite a few. Here they are:
Angel: Angel Field; Angels Window; Angel Basin; Bright Angel Point; Angel Spring; Angel Trail Spring; Bright Angel Spring; Los Angeles Wash (2); Bright Angel Creek; Angel Point; Angels Gate; Bright Angel Trail; Bright Angel Canyon (2).
Devil: plenty of these – makes me think that there must have been something sinister or difficult about these places: Devils Bridge; Devils Dining Room; Devils Kitchen; Devils Chair; Devils Hole (2); Devils Pocket; Devils Washboard (2); Devils Nest Mine; Devils Slide Rapids; Devil Dog Tank; Devil Tank (2); Devils Bathtub (2); Devils Hump Tank; Devils Canyon Trail; Devils Jawbone Tank; Devils Playground Tank; Devils Cash Box; Devil Hills; Devils Head; Devils Hump; Devils Canyon (8); Devil Dog Canyon; Devils Chasm; Devils Den Canyon; Devils Windpipe; Devils Canyon Well.
Diablo: this is, of course, the Spanish word for Devil, and the fact that it appears so many times on Arizona’s maps is a strong indicator of Mexican influence on the history of our state. Check these out: Canyon Diablo Wash; Canyon Diablo Railroad Station; Canyon Diablo; Canyon Diablo Dam; Diablo Pass; Canyon Diablo Reservoir; Diablo Tank (3); Diablo Wash; Diablo Mountain; Camino del Diablo; Diablo Canyon (5); Canyon Diablo Well; Diablo Well (2).
Espiritu: this is the Spanish word for spirit, and it shows up in a couple of places: Espiritu Canyon; Espiritu Well.
Ghost: we have Ghost Tank; Many Ghosts Hill; The Ghost.
Phantom: 4 features were found with this name: Phantom Creek; Phantom Canyon; Phantom Ranch; Phantom Ranger Station.
Priest: we have a Priest Tank and a Priest Draw.
Satan: only one, Satan Butte.
Shadow: only 4 names here: Shadow Canyon; Shadow Rim Camp; Shadow Mountain; Shadow Mountain Well.
Specter: we have Specter Chasm; Specter Rapids; Specter Terrace.
Spook: a few with this name: Spook Tank; Spook Canyon; Spook Hill; Spook Hill Dam; Spook Hill Recreation Area; Spooks Knoll Reservoir.
Vampire: just one, the Vampire Mine.
Witch: how about these? – Witch Pool; Witch Well Ranch; Witch Creek; Witch Canyon Trail; Middle Witch Canyon; North Witch Canyon; South Witch Canyon.
Now, for a change of pace, let’s look at things that seem a bit creepy.
Bone: many places in Arizona have the name bone in them, such as these: Bonehead Basin; Boneyard; Backbone Dam; Bone Dam; Horse Bone Flat; Boney Lake; Spannabone Lake; Jawbone Windmill; Backbone Mine; Bone Hollow Tank; Bone Tank; Bonehead Catchment; Bonehead Tank; Devils Jawbone Tank; Dry Bone Tank; Skeleton Bone Tank; T Bone Tank; Ikes Backbone; Bone Spring (2); Bones Spring; Boneyard Spring; Boneyard Creek; Bonehead Mesa; Boneyback Peak; Wishbone Mountain; Bone Hollow; Bone Spring Canyon; Bones Canyon; Hipbone Wash; Bone Spring Well. I can only conclude that there must have been a lot of bones lying about everywhere.
Box: wow, we have so many of these. I think of box as meaning a tight spot – maybe dangerous, maybe you could get trapped. Check these out: Apache Box; Box Canyon Wash; The Box (5); HU Bar Box; Jackson Box; Little Blue Box; Tucker Box; Box K Dam; Little Box Canyon Dam; Chuck Box Lake; Firebox Lake; Box Bar Ranch; Box Canyon Ruin; Box Canyon Windmill; Box K Ranch; Box O Ranch; Red Box Corral; The Box of Sevenmile; The Box of Tenmile; Box Canyon Tank (2); Box Canyon Tank Number 2; Box K Tank (2); Box Trap Tank; Chuck Box Tank (2); Cracker Box Tank; Firebox Tank; Ice Box Tank; Icebox Tank; Little Box Lake; Lower Firebox Tank; Salt Box Tank (2); Devils Cash Box; Alder Box Spring; Box Canyon Springs; Box Alder Spring; Box Spring (10); Box T Spring; Cottonwood Box Spring; Crackerbox Spring; Feed Box Spring; Firebox Spring; Red Box Spring; Salt Box Spring; Stone Cabin Box Spring; Box Canyon Wash; Box O Wash; Box Wash; Firebox Creek; Box O Hills; The Box; Boxcar; Boxcar Hill; Mailbox Mesa; Box Camp Canyon; Box Canyon (18); The Box (2); Crackerbox Canyon; Firebox Canyon; Gila Box; Mailbox Canyon; Owl Box Canyon; Soapbox Canyon; Tar Box Canyon; Toolbox Canyon; Upper La Barge Box Canyon; Wagon Box Draw; Box Canyon Well; Mailbox Well.
Dagger: there are a handful of these: Dagger Basin; Dagger; Dagger Ranch; Dagger Spring (2); Dagger Springs; Dagger Wash; Dagger Peak; Dagger Canyon.
Gun: plenty of these, including variants: Gunsight Cemetery; Two Guns; Gun Point; Gunsight Point; Two Guns Interchange; Gunsight Gap; Gunsight Pass; Gunsight Notch; Gun Creek Corral; Gunsight; Gunsight Ranch; Old Two Guns Ruin; Gun Tank (2);Gunsight Tank (2); Gun Creek; Gunsight Wash; Gunsight; Gunsight Butte; Gunsight Hills; Gunsight Mountain; Lost Gun Point; Gunsight Canyon (2); Gunsight Valley.
Hatchet: just one, Hatchet Canyon.
Knife: there are some good ones here, kind of sinister: Butcher Knife Corral; Knife Edge Mesa Mine; Butcherknife Tank; Hashknife Tank; Jacknife Tank; Lost Knife Tank; Butcher Knife Spring; Case Knife Spring; Lower Butcherknife Spring; Butcherknife Hill; Butcher Knife Canyon; Butcherknife Canyon.
Pistol: we have a few, namely: Pistol Saddle Tank; Pistol Creek (2); Pistol Butte; Pistol Pass.
Skeleton: there must have been plenty of skeletons lying about, because we have several good names: Skeleton Arch; Lower Skeleton Tank; Skeleton Bone Tank; Skeleton Park Tank; Skeleton Tank (4); Skeleton Ridge; Skeleton Mesa; Skeleton Canyon (2); South Fork Skeleton Canyon.
Skin: the word skin appears many times, used in different ways: Buckskin Saddle; Buckskin Ranch; Buckskin Mountain State Park; Buckskin Mountains; Buckskin Tank (2); Doeskin Tank; East Buckskin Tank; Little Buckskin Tank; Sheepskin Tank; Skin Spring Tank; West Buckskin Tank; West Buckskin Spring; Sheepskin Spring; Skin Spring; Buckskin Wash; Middle Fork Buckskin Wash; Sheepskin Wash; Buckskin Hills; Buckskin Mountain; Little Buckskin Mountains; Little Buckskin Lookout Tower; West Buckskin Trail; Buckskin Canyon; West Fork Buckskin Draw.
Spear: there are a few places with this word in their name; Spears Lake; Spear Ranch (2); Spear-R Spring; East Spear Creek; Spearhead Mesa.
Skull: what would a list of creepy names be without the word skull? – Skull Valley Railroad Station; Skull Valley Cemetery; Skull Valley; Skull Valley Elementary School; Skull Valley Ranch; Many Skull Spring; Skull Spring; Skull Valley Wash (2); Skull Mesa; Many Skulls Trail.
Vulture: kind of creepy, so I included it here: Vulture Gold Mine Landing Strip; Vulture; Vulture Mine; Vulture Mountains; Vulture Peak.
The last category I’d like to discuss are conditions – mental, physical, environmental. There are plenty of these, so let’s get started.
Blind: Blind Goddess Mine; Blind Draw Tank; Blind Lake Tank; Blind Tank; Blind Spring; Blind Indian Creek; North Fork Blind Indian Creek; Blindman Butte; Blind Canyon.
Broken: we have a bunch of these: Broken Arrow Ranch; Broken Axle Tank; Broken Dam Tank (3); Broken Tank (5); Broken Iron Spring; Broken Spring; Broken Trough Spring; Broken Horn Canyon; Broken Foot Well; Broken Home Well (the last two sound kind of sad).
Cinder: Cinder Basin; Aniceto Cinder Pit; Darling Cinder Pit; Little Cinder Basin; Cinder Flat; Cinder Lake; Cinder Knoll Pond; Cinder Pit Tank; Cinder Point Tank; Cinder Tank (5); Cinder Hill; Cinder Hills; Cinder Knoll; Cinder Mountain (2); Cinder Point Mountain.
Crazy: a fair number of these: Crazy Creek Bridge; Crazy Jug Point; Crazy Park; Crazy Cow Tank; Crazy Park Tank; Crazy Horse Spring; Crazy Jug Spring; Crazy Water Spring; Crazy Basin Creek; Crazy Creek; Crazy Horse Creek; Crazy Horse Wash; Crazy Woman Wash; Crazy Jug Canyon; Crazy Park Canyon.
Dead: wow, no shortage of names with dead in them – here is what I found: Dead Man Pockets; Dead Steer Basin; Dead River Bridge; Dead Boy Point; Deadwood Point; Dead Horse Dam; Dead Horse Flat; Deadman Flat; Deadman Gap; Deadman Pass; Deadman Crossing; Dead Bull Mine; Dead Horse Ranch State Park; Dead Cow Tank (4); Dead Deer Tank; Dead Horse Tank (6); Dead Lake Tank; Deadman Tank (7); Deadman Tanks; Deadwood Draw Tank (2); Deadwood Tank; Lower Deadman Tank; Upper Deadman Tank; Dead Juniper Ridge; Dead Monkey Ridge; Deadman Ridge; Dead Cow Spring; Dead Mule Spring; Dead Pine Spring; Deadman Spring (2); Lower Dead Cow Spring; Upper Dead Cow Spring; Dead Horse Wash; Dead Mexican Creek; Dead Wash; Deadman Creek; Deadman Wash (4); North Fork Deadman Creek; South Fork Deadman Creek; Dead Horse Mesa; Dead Horse Point; Dead Steer Mesa; Deadman Knoll (2); Deadman Mesa (4); Deadman Peak; Deadman Trail; Deadman Hiline Trail; Dead Cow Canyon; Dead Cow Gulch; Dead Horse Canyon; Dead Horse Draw; Dead Indian Canyon; Dead Juniper Canyon; Dead Man Canyon; Dead Mexican Canyon; Dead Mule Canyon; Deadman Canyon (6); Deadman Valley; Deadwood Draw. That sure is a lot of dead people and dead animals that must have been lying about, and they must have made enough of an impression on those who found them for the names to have become part of our landscape. Remember, these are all official names.
Remember that any name shown in blue is a link to a map and possibly a picture. When you open up a map, you can click on it to fill your screen.
Death: we have a few of these, as follows: Death Valley Lake; Death Trap Spring; Death Valley Spring; Death Trap Canyon.
Fire: a fairly common word used in our state’s naming, so we have these: Firebrand Ranch; Fire Point; Firebird Lake; Firebox Lake; Center Fire Tank; Fire Clay Tank; Fire Lind Tank; Fire Tank (2); Firebox Tank; Lower Firebox Tank; Fire Ridge; Firebox Spring; Fireplace Spring; Centerfire Creek (2); Firebox Creek; Fire Clay Hill; Fire Mountain; Firebox Canyon.
Hidden: quite a few of our place names include the word hidden, like the following: Hidden Valley Airstrip; Hidden Bridge; Hidden Valley; Hidden Springs Mission; Hidden Rim; Hidden Valley Interchange; Hidden Pasture; Head of Hidden Pond; Hidden Lake (8); Hidden Cabin; Hidden Pump Station; Hidden Valley Ranch; Hidden Mines; Hidden Treasure Mine (3); Hidden Hills; Hidden Hollow Tank; Hidden Lake; Hidden Lake Trick Tank; Hidden Log Tank; Hidden Tank (26); Hidden Valley Tank; Hidden Valley Tanks; Hidden Smith Ravine Spring; Hidden Spring (18); Hidden Tunnel Spring; Hidden Valley Spring; Hidden Water Spring; Lower Hidden Spring; Hidden Valley Hills; Hidden Canyon (2); Hidden Hollow; Hidden Valley (4); Hidden Wash; Hidden Well (2). As you can see, some of these names, with multiples of 18 and even 26, may be among the most popular names in the state.
Hanging: there are a few of these: Hanging Tank; Hanging Rock Spring; Hanging Springs; Hanging Water Well.
Hungry: just one name with this word: Hungry Valley.
Inferno: only one, and it is called The Inferno.
Lonely: we have 2 of these, as follows: Lonely Mountain Tank; Lonely Mountain.
Lost: there are so many of these, it seems like people and things were being misplaced all the time: Lost Dutchman Heliport; Lost Basin; Lost Dutchman Mobile Home Park; Lost Eden; Lost Point; Lost Cienega; Lost Springs Gap; Lost Lake (5); Lost Acres Ranch; Lost Cabin Mine; Lost Orphan Mine; Lost Dutchman State Park; Lost Creek Rapids; Lost Arrow Head Tank; Lost Camp Canyon Tank; Lost Camp Mountain Tank; Lost Canyon Tank; Lost Cow Tank; Lost Creek Reservoir; Lost Eden Tank (2); Lost Horse Tank; Lost Knife Tank; Lost Lake; Lost Lake Tank; Lost Man Tank; Lost Mule Tank; Lost Spring Tank; Lost Spring Water Tank; Lost Tank (20); Lost Cabin Spring; Lost Horse Spring; Lost Man Hot Spring; Lost Salt Spring Number One; Lost Salt Spring Number Two; Lost Spring (8); Lost Cabin Wash; Lost Creek; Lost Man Creek; Lost Mule Creek; Lost Spring Wash; Lost Camp Mountain; Lost Gun Point; Lost Horse Peak; Lost Mountain; Lost Spring Mountain; Lost Wilson Mountain; Lost Camp Canyon; Lost Canyon (4); Lost Dog Canyon; Lost Dutch Canyon; Lost Gulch; Lost Salt Canyon; Lost Tank Canyon (2).
Kill: just one, Lion Kill Spring.
Misery: just a few of these: Fort Misery; Misery Spring; Misery Well (2).
Pray: we have only one: The Praying Monk.
Rotten: just a few of these: Rotten Spring (2); Rotten Bananas Butte.
Secret: there are several of these, but remember, you can’t tell anyone about them because they are secret: Secret Pocket; Secret Cove; Secret Pasture; Secret Pass; Secret Cabin; Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness; Secret Tank (2); Secret Pass Spring; Secret Pass Wash; Secret Mountain; Secret Canyon; Secret Pass Canyon.
Shady: just this one: Shady Dell.
Slaughter: a handful of these: Slaughter Camp; Slaughter Tank (3); Slaughter House Springs; Slaughterhouse Spring; Slaughter House Wash; Slaughter Mountain; Slaughter Draw; Slaughterhouse Canyon; Slaughterhouse Gulch.
Starvation: just 4 of these: Starvation Point; Starvation Flat; Starvation Tank; Starvation Canyon.
Suffering: just a pair: Suffering Gulch; Suffering Wash.
Suicide: wow, seems like a number of people considered, or actually went ahead with, doing themselves in. We have a handful of such names: Suicide Wash; Suicide Point; Suicide Tank (5); Suicide Tank Number 1; Suicide Tank Number 2; Suicide Ridge (2); Suicide Canyon.
Thirst: just one, Thirsty Mesa.
So there you have it, Folks – a journey through some of the more gruesome or troubled names that appear on our Arizona topographic maps. I hope you found it entertaining.