1983 Map of Bonelli Bay

About this map

Lake Mead and its intricate shoreline dominate this desert landscape within the National Recreation Area, where the rising and falling reservoir waters define the geography of the Virgin Basin. The map captures the specialized waterfront of the early 1980s, centered on the Bonelli Landing settlement and various sheltered inlets like Danger Bay, Secret Cove, and Alkali Spring Cove. These features reflect the region's adaptation to recreation and water management decades after the completion of the Hoover Dam. Inland, the terrain is marked by distinctive geological formations such as the Gypsum Reefs and Gypsum Ledges. The presence of the Pole Line Road and drainage patterns like Detrital Wash illustrate the sparse infrastructure required to navigate this arid Mohave County environment, where elevation contours and water boundaries are the primary landmarks for navigation.