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1986 Map of Blythe

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Blythe
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The Colorado River defines the heart of this mid-1980s landscape, winding between the Parker Valley and the Palo Verde Valley. The agricultural core is centered around Blythe, East Blythe, and Neighbors, where an intricate network of irrigation and road grids spreads across the lowland. To the east, the Dome Rock Mountains and Plomosa Mountains dominate the Arizona side, with Quartzsite serving as a key junction for Interstate 10 and U S Highway 95.

The map details an era of significant infrastructure and desert management, showing the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway corridor and the expansive Colorado River Indian Reservation. Evidence of desert habitation and resource extraction is found in outlying locations like Midland, Inca, and the Yum Yum Mine, while the southern reaches extend into the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and the Yuma Proving Ground.