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1949 Map of Cape San Martin

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Cape San Martin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Santa Lucia Range peaks tower over the coastal terraces along the Pacific Ocean in this 1949 topographic survey. The landscape is defined by the steep transition from the shoreline to high elevations, featuring the northern reaches of the Hunter Liggett Military Reservation and the protected lands of the Los Padres National Forest. Small coastal settlements like Gorda, Plaskett, and Pacific Valley are connected by a single highway that clings to the cliffs above the surf.

Evidence of local infrastructure is found at the Pacific Valley Sch and the Beacon near Gorda, while the interior remains largely undeveloped except for remote sites like Chalk Peak Camp. The map documents numerous coastal drainages including Wild Cattle Creek, Mill Creek, and Willow Creek, which have carved deep canyons through the coastal mountains to reach the sea. Offshore, prominent features such as Plaskett Rock and Bird Rock serve as landmarks against the kelp-lined coast near Cape San Martin.