Old Maps of Palm Desert, California for Hiking & Exploration

Hike through history with 24 historic maps of Palm Desert. Explore old trails, ghost towns, and forgotten backroads — perfect for outdoor adventurers and local explorers.

  • Rediscover forgotten places: Map out old mining camps, roads, and footpaths that no longer exist on modern maps.
  • Layer with modern tools: Combine with LiDAR or satellite views to plan hikes through historical terrain.
  • Made for exploration: Popular among hikers, overlanders, and local history lovers.

Use these maps to find adventure and explore the hidden past of Palm Desert.


Palm Desert, CA maps

(24)
  1. 1904 Map of Indio
    1904 Map of Indio
    1904 Indio
    1904 Print · USGS
    The Conchilla Desert and San Jacinto Mountains appear here at the turn of the century as the Southern Pacific rail corridor began to transform the valley. Trace early settlements and tribal lands like Cabezon Indian Res., Figtree John, and the Asbestos Mine.
    7 unique versions available

  2. 1941 Map of Toro Peak, 1954 Print
    1941 Map of Toro Peak, 1954 Print
    1941 Toro Peak
    1954 Print · USGS
    The Coachella Valley and Santa Rosa Mountains appear here in the early 1940s, just as modern desert communities were emerging. Trace the early development of Rancho Mirage and La Quinta or locate historical sites like the Garnet Queen Mine and Pinyon Flat.

  3. 1941 Map of Edom, 1957 Print
    1941 Map of Edom, 1957 Print
    1941 Edom
    1957 Print · USGS
    The Coachella Valley and Little San Bernardino Mountains appear here during the early 1940s as desert ranching and date cultivation expanded. Genealogists and historians can locate family-named landmarks like Two Bunch Palms Ranch, Snyder Date Gardens, and the original settlement at Edom.

  4. 1944 Map of Toro peak
    1944 Map of Toro peak
    1944 Toro peak
    1944 Print · USGS
    The Coachella Valley and Santa Rosa Mountains appear here in the 1940s as desert resorts began to expand. Trace early footprints in Rancho Mirage and La Quinta, or locate the remote Asbestos Mine and Garnet Queen Mine.

  5. 1944 Map of Edom
    1944 Map of Edom
    1944 Edom
    1944 Print · USGS
    The Coachella Valley was a landscape of date gardens and emerging desert retreats during the early 1940s. Genealogists and desert historians can trace early settlements at Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City, or locate historic sites like Yerba Trading Post and Thousand Palms Oasis.

  6. 1947 Map of Santa Ana, 1949 Print
    1947 Map of Santa Ana, 1949 Print
    1947 Santa Ana
    1949 Print · USGS
    Southern California is depicted here in the late forties, showing the expansion of the Inland Empire and the Orange County coast. Researchers can trace the early layout of Palm Springs or locate long-standing tribal lands like the Pala Indian Reservation and Rincon Indian Res.

  7. 1949 Map of Santa Ana
    1949 Map of Santa Ana
    1949 Santa Ana
    1949 Print · USGS
    Southern California underwent a profound transformation in the late 1940s as military installations and citrus groves shared the landscape. Researchers can trace early coastal growth at Laguna Beach, military history at Camp Pendleton, and the rail corridors of the Pacific Electric.

  8. 1956 Map of Santa Ana
    1956 Map of Santa Ana
    1956 Santa Ana
    1956 Print · USGS
    Southern California underwent massive mid-century transformation as suburban growth met major military and water projects. Trace the postwar expansion of Santa Ana and Riverside, the layout of Camp Pendleton, and the path of the Colorado River Aqueduct.

  9. 1957 Map of Rancho Mirage, 1960 Print
    1957 Map of Rancho Mirage, 1960 Print
    1957 Rancho Mirage
    1960 Print · USGS
    Mid-century Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert are caught at the beginning of their growth into desert retreats. Researchers can trace early residential streets like El Paseo alongside the Landing Field and remote sites such as Shumway Ranch and Magnesia Spring.
    5 unique versions available

  10. 1958 Map of Myoma, 1959 Print
    1958 Map of Myoma, 1959 Print
    1958 Myoma
    1959 Print · USGS
    The Coachella Valley was still a land of palm oases and isolated ranches in the late fifties. You can trace the early desert settlement at Myoma and locate historic water sources like the Thousand Palms Oasis, Chase School, and Chuckwalla Ranch.
    4 unique versions available

  11. 1958 Map of Cathedral City, 1960 Print
    1958 Map of Cathedral City, 1960 Print
    1958 Cathedral City
    1960 Print · USGS
    The mid-century Coachella Valley emerges in this survey as leisure culture begins to reshape the desert landscape alongside the Southern Pacific tracks. Genealogists can locate old landmarks like Palm Springs Dist Cem, the Palm Valley School, and the early layout of Cathedral City.
    8 unique versions available

  12. 1958 Map of Thousand Palms, 1960 Print
    1958 Map of Thousand Palms, 1960 Print
    1958 Thousand Palms
    1960 Print · USGS
    The Coachella Valley was rapidly transforming in the late fifties as ranch life met modern resort culture. You can trace the lineage of early desert settlements like Edom and Miracle Hill, or locate family-named landmarks like Chuckwalla Ranch and Macomber Palms.
    3 unique versions available

  13. 1959 Map of La Quinta, 1960 Print
    1959 Map of La Quinta, 1960 Print
    1959 La Quinta
    1960 Print · USGS
    Palm Desert and the surrounding Coachella Valley are captured here during a period of rapid mid-century growth. Researchers can trace the early layouts of Indian Wells and La Quinta alongside landmarks like the Coachella Canal and Point Happy.
    4 unique versions available

  14. 1959 Map of Palm Desert, 1961 Print
    1959 Map of Palm Desert, 1961 Print
    1959 Palm Desert
    1961 Print · USGS
    The Coachella Valley was rapidly evolving in the late fifties as desert resorts expanded toward the high peaks. Genealogists and historians can locate early landmarks like Shumway Ranch, the Asbestos Mine, and the Indian Village Site.
    4 unique versions available

  15. 1959 Map of Santa Ana, 1971 Print
    1959 Map of Santa Ana, 1971 Print
    1959 Santa Ana
    1971 Print · USGS
    Southern California is captured in a decade of transformation, from the Orange County coast to the desert floor. Researchers can trace the mid-century footprints of Camp Pendleton, March Air Force Base, and the original Ortega Highway.
    3 unique versions available

  16. 1960 Map of Santa Ana
    1960 Map of Santa Ana
    1960 Santa Ana
    1960 Print · USGS
    Southern California's coastal plains and inland deserts meet in this mid-century survey of the burgeoning Orange and Riverside county corridors. Researchers can trace the layout of early freeway systems, find tribal lands like the Soboba Indian Reservation, and locate military landmarks such as March Field.
    2 unique versions available

  17. 1965 Map of Santa Ana
    1965 Map of Santa Ana
    1965 Santa Ana
    1965 Print · USGS
    Southern California is captured in a decade of rapid growth, showing the coastal expansion from Santa Ana down to Oceanside. Genealogists and historians can trace the mid-century development of places like Garden Grove or the rural reaches of Escondido and the Palomar Observatory.

  18. 1975 Map of Cathedral City, 1977 Print
    1975 Map of Cathedral City, 1977 Print
    1975 Cathedral City
    1977 Print · USGS
    The mid-seventies Coachella Valley comes into focus through this aerial survey as desert resorts and subdivisions begin to take shape. Researchers can trace early residential growth in Cathedral City and the rural layout of Thousand Palms.

  19. 1984 Map of Palm Springs, 1986 Print
    1984 Map of Palm Springs, 1986 Print
    1984 Palm Springs
    1986 Print · USGS
    Riverside County’s desert resorts and valley agriculture are captured here in the mid-eighties as modern development expanded across the Coachella Valley. Genealogists and researchers can trace the growth of Palm Springs, locate family land near the Soboba Indian Reservation, or follow the Southern Pacific rail line through Banning.
    3 unique versions available

  20. 1996 Map of Rancho Mirage, 1999 Print
    1996 Map of Rancho Mirage, 1999 Print
    1996 Rancho Mirage
    1999 Print · USGS
    Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert are shown during a period of significant expansion, where upscale street grids meet the protected slopes of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Researchers can trace the development of El Paseo, the campus of the College of the Desert, and the secluded Shumway Ranch.

  21. 2021 Map of Rancho Mirage, 2021 Print
    2021 Map of Rancho Mirage, 2021 Print
    2021 Rancho Mirage
    2021 Print · USGS
    The Coachella Valley edge meets the high desert in this recent survey of the region's rapid growth. Researchers can trace the development of Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert alongside landmarks like the College of the Desert and Haystack Mtn.

  22. 2021 Map of La Quinta, 2021 Print
    2021 Map of La Quinta, 2021 Print
    2021 La Quinta
    2021 Print · USGS
    La Quinta and the neighboring Coachella Valley communities are shown during a period of modern expansion. Researchers can trace the development of Indian Wells and Bermuda Dunes, or locate landmarks like Lake Cahuilla and the Coachella Canal.

  23. 2021 Map of Cathedral City, 2021 Print
    2021 Map of Cathedral City, 2021 Print
    2021 Cathedral City
    2021 Print · USGS
    The Coachella Valley's modern suburban landscape is fully realized in this contemporary survey of Cathedral City and Rancho Mirage. Researchers can trace the desert's growth from the San Jacinto Mountains to the rail stops at Rimlon and Edom.

  24. 2023 Map of Myoma, 2023 Print
    2023 Map of Myoma, 2023 Print
    2023 Myoma
    2023 Print · USGS
    The Coachella Valley is seen here in the early 2020s, showing the intersection of desert conservation and desert resort growth. Trace the natural oases of Willis Palms and Pushawalla Palms or locate the CSU Palm Desert Campus.

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