Loading map...

2021 Map of Bighorn Canyon

Name: 2021 Topographic Map of Bighorn Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2021
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2021

About this map

Johnson Valley marks the high desert landscape where residential grids meet the rising slopes of the Bighorn Mountains. This 2021 survey shows a community defined by its sprawling network of dirt and paved roads, including Old Woman Springs Rd and Joshua Tree Rd, which serve scattered desert homesites north of the mountain range. The terrain transitions from the relatively level airport surroundings at Valley Vista Airport to the deep contours of Bighorn Canyon as it carves through the southern peaks.

The hydrological character of this arid region is evidenced by features like Saddlerock Spring and the ephemeral Rubber Drain Two. The southern portion of the map is dominated by the rugged uplift of the San Bernardino Mountains, highlighting the contrast between the organized land divisions of the northern flats and the wilderness of the canyon systems. For those studying California's desert development, this map documents the current reach of infrastructure into the Mojave.