2023 Map of Agua Caliente Springs

About this map

Great Southern Overland Stage Rte traces a historic path through this arid corridor of eastern San Diego County, crossing the Vallecito Valley and Carrizo Valley. This desert landscape is defined by the convergence of the Vallecito Mountains, Tierra Blanca Mountains, and Sawtooth Mountains, creating a rugged intersection of high peaks and alluvial washes. The Vallecito Stage Station Cem stands as a quiet marker of the region's mid-19th-century transit history when this route served as a primary mail and passenger artery to the Pacific. Local hydrography like Agua Caliente Springs and Burro Spring provided essential water in a region characterized by intermittent drainages such as Canebrake Wash and Ironwood Wash. These natural features dictated the placement of early infrastructure, seen here at the Agua Caliente Springs Airport and the designated Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness.