Fig. 2: Settings of Zane Grey's western novels in the American West and Sonora, Mexico. Numbers are keyed to Table 1 (right). Table 1: Place and Time Settings of Zane Grey's Westerns. Multiple place settings are listed when significant action occurs in more than one location or across state lines. The actual place name of the setting is listed, even if Grey used a different name. The time settings listed are as specific as can be determined from events in the book. Compiled by Dr. Kevin S. Blake.

Map

No.

Title

Year

Publ.

Place Setting

Time

Setting

1

The Heritage of the Desert

1910

AZ: Lees Ferry, Painted Desert

c. 1878

2

Riders of the Purple Sage

1912

UT: southeastern

AZ: Tsegi Canyon

1871

3

Desert Gold

1913

a) AZ: Altar Valley

b) Sonora: Pinacate Range

1912

4

The Light of Western Stars

1914

AZ: San Bernardino Valley

NM: Peloncillo Mountains

1912

5

The Lone Star Ranger

1915

a) TX: Nueces River headwaters

b) TX: western, Mount Ord

1870s

6

The Rainbow Trail

1915

AZ: Tsegi Canyon

UT: Rainbow Bridge

1886

7

The Border Legion

1916

a) ID: central

b) MT: Virginia City, Alder Gulch

1863

8

Wildfire

1917

AZ: Lees Ferry, Monument Valley

c. 1870

9

The U.P. Trail

1918

Union Pacific Railroad (Omaha to Promontory Point)

WY: Laramie Mountains

1864-1869

10

The Desert of Wheat

1919

WA: southeastern

1917-1918

11

The Man of the Forest

1920

AZ: White Mountains, Pinedale

c. 1885

12

The Mysterious Rider

1921

CO: Gore Range, Middle Park

c. 1890

13

To the Last Man

1922

AZ: Pleasant Valley, Mogollon Plateau

1887

14

Wanderer of the Wasteland

1923

a) CA: Chocolate Mountains

b) CA: Death Valley

1878-1892

15

The Call of the Canyon

1924

AZ: Oak Creek Canyon

1920-1921

16

The Thundering Herd

1925

TX: Red River & Pease River headwaters

TX: Llano Estacado

1874-1877

17

The Vanishing American

1925

AZ: Kayenta

UT: Valley of the Gods, Navajo Mtn.

1916-1919

18

Under the Tonto Rim

1926

AZ: Tonto Basin

1920s

19

Forlorn River

1927

CA: Tule Lake

c. 1890

20

"Nevada"

1928

a) CA: Tule Lake

b) AZ: Mogollon Plateau, Chevelon Canyon

c. 1890

21

Wild Horse Mesa

1928

UT: Kaiparowits Plateau

c. 1890

22

Fighting Caravans

1929

Santa Fe Trail

KS: Fort Larned

1856-1870

23

The Shepherd of Guadaloupe

1930

NM: Las Vegas

1919-1920

24

Sunset Pass

1931

AZ: Sunset Mountains

c. 1885

25

Arizona Ames

1932

a) AZ: Hellsgate on Tonto Creek

b) WY: Pinedale

c) UT: Hurricane Cliffs

d) CO: Troublesome Creek in Middle Park

c. 1892-1905

26

Robbers' Roost

1932

UT: Dirty Devil River, Henry Mountains

1877

27

The Drift Fence

1933

AZ: Flagstaff, Mogollon Plateau

1889

28

The Hash Knife Outfit

1933

AZ: Mogollon Plateau

1889-1890

29

Code of the West

1934

AZ: Tonto Basin

1920s

30

Thunder Mountain

1935

ID: Salmon River Mountains

1906

31

The Trail Driver

1936

Chisholm and Western cattle trails

TX: Colorado River crossing

1871

32

The Lost Wagon Train

1936

Santa Fe Trail

NM: Fort Union

1861-1879

33

West of the Pecos

1937

TX: Pecos River Horsehead Crossing

TX: Langtry

1865-1871

34

Raiders of Spanish Peaks

1938

a) KS: Garden City

b) CO: Spanish Peaks

1880s

35

Knights of the Range

1939

NM: Cimarron

1874-1875

36

Western Union

1939

Western Union telegraph route (Omaha to Fort Bridger)

NE: Chimney Rock

1861

37

30,000 on the Hoof

1940

AZ: Mogollon Plateau, Miller Canyon

1885-1918

38

Twin Sombreros

1941

CO: Las Animas

1880

39

Majesty's Rancho

1942

AZ: San Bernardino Valley

NM: Peloncillo Mountains

1932

40

Stairs of Sand

1943

CA: Salton Sea

1896

41

Shadow on the Trail

1946

a) TX: Denton County

b) AZ: Tonto Basin, Doubtful Canyon

1878-1885

42

Valley of Wild Horses

1947

NM: Magdalena

c. 1880

43

Rogue River Feud

1948

OR: Rogue River

1920

44

The Deer Stalker

1949

AZ: Kaibab Plateau, Grand Canyon

1924

45

The Maverick Queen

1950

WY: South Pass City

1889

46

The Dude Ranger

1951

AZ: Springerville

c. 1890

47

Captives of the Desert

1952

AZ: Black Mesa

1920s

48

Wyoming

1953

WY: Antelope Hills

1930

49

Lost Pueblo

1954

AZ: Tsegi Canyon

1920s

50

Black Mesa

1955

AZ: Black Mesa

c. 1900

51

Stranger From the Tonto

1956

a) Sonora: western

b) UT: Hole in the Rock

c. 1890

52

The Fugitive Trail

1957

TX: Brazos River headwaters

c. 1880

53

The Arizona Clan

1958

AZ: Tonto Basin

1880s

54

Horse Heaven Hill

1959

WA: Colville Indian Reservation

c. 1910

55

Boulder Dam

1963

NV: Hoover Dam

1932