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1960 Map of Borrego Mountain

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Borrego Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Borrego Badlands dominate this arid landscape, showing a complex network of ephemeral drainage systems like San Felipe Wash and Palo Verde Wash. In the early 1960s, this portion of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park centered on the small outpost of Ocotillo Wells, which served as a focal point for desert travel near the Los Puertocitos Historical Marker. The map reveals a land defined by water scarcity, noting several dry sites such as Wolfe Well (Dry) and the Little Borrego (Site).

Notable geological and botanical features are well-documented, from the Elephant Tree Area and Cactus Garden to the unique formations of the Pumpkin Patch and Shell Reef. To the south, the Fish Creek Mountains rise sharply, bisected by the USN Railroad line and numerous mining interests. The presence of Old Kane Spring Road and various Jeep Trails underscores the rugged infrastructure used by mid-century explorers and surveyors in the Lower Borrego Valley.