1940 Map of Camp Bonita

About this map

Camp Bonita sits at the confluence of the river forks within the Angeles National Forest, serving as a central hub in a landscape defined by steep canyons and mining history. Surveyed in the 1930s, this area of the San Gabriel Mountains reveals an era when resource extraction and mountain recreation coexisted. The Allison Mine and Baldora Mine are located high on the ridges near Iron Mtn, while down in the valleys, various camps like Weber Camp and Williams Camp provided footing for early forest visitors. Deep incisions such as The Narrows on the East Fork San Gabriel River highlight the difficult terrain that forced travel onto routes like the Highline Trail. Further south, Tanbark Flats and the San Gabriel Guard Station indicate the early infrastructure for forest management and fire prevention, including numerous mapped Firebreak lines.