2011 Map of Butterfield Pass

About this map

Butterfield Pass is the central topographical landmark in this southwestern Maricopa County landscape, where the desert floor is defined by a dense network of intermittent drainage channels. The small settlement of Estrella sits at the southern edge of the quadrangle, serving as a rare point of human habitation in a region characterized by its hydrological features. Water management in this arid environment is reflected in the placement of Conley Tank, a vital resource for livestock or wildlife in a territory otherwise marked by seasonal washes. A single paved artery, S Bullard Ave, enters from the northeast, providing one of the few formal connections to the broader Phoenix metropolitan fringe. The geography here is a study in desert drainage patterns, showing how the landscape funnels runoff through the pass toward the plains below.