1994 Map of Blackrock

About this map

The Los Angeles Aqueduct dominates the hydrology of this high-desert landscape, cutting a straight path alongside the older meandering course of the Owens River. This 1994 revision by the Forest Service reveals the complex infrastructure of the Owens Valley, where the North Colosseum Ditch and Bypass Ditch redirect water across a terrain marked by ancient Lava flows. Near the settlement of Blackrock, the Black Rock Fish Hatchery stands as a focal point of local industry, situated just east of the Eightmile Ranch. To the east, the steep ascent of Crystal Ridge into the Inyo National Forest contrasts with the low-lying Tulare Swamp and Goose Lake to the south. An Old Railroad Grade traces the base of the mountains, marking the former path of the Carson and Colorado Railroad through this remote corridor.