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1940 Map of Canyon Spring

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Canyon Spring
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Eagle Mountains and Orocopia Mountains dominate this high-desert landscape in the 1940s, providing a look at the remote terrain of eastern Riverside County before modern expansion. This survey, compiled from aerial photography, highlights the critical water infrastructure of the era, centered on the Hayfield Reservoir and its associated survey markers, Hayfield West Base and Hayfield East Base. The presence of Joshua Tree National Monument in the northwestern corner signals the early preservation of this unique environment.

Small settlements and essential desert waypoints like Hayfield, Shaver Summit, and Skylark Ranch appear along the corridor of Routes 60 and 70. For those tracing local history or desert travel routes, the map identifies traditional water sources such as Canyon Spring, Clemens Well, and Tabaseco Tank, which were vital for survival in the arid stretches between the Chocolate Mountains and Salt Creek.