1996 Map of Armenta Well

About this map

Valley of the Ajo dominates the central portion of this survey, defining a vast desert corridor where seasonal drainages like Kuakatch Wash and Gunsight Wash carve through the arid floor. The landscape is largely protected by the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, which is further divided by the Organ Pipe Cactus Wilderness boundary. Human presence is sparse and concentrated at isolated points of water and work, such as Armenta Ranch and the nearby Armenta Well. These sites, along with a solitary Drill Hole and primitive 4wd tracks, reflect a hardscrabble history of ranching and resource exploration in the Pima County backcountry. To the north and east, the terrain rises toward Gunsight and the winding course of Cuerda de Leña, illustrating the remote character of the Sonoran desert during the late twentieth century.