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1979 Map of Caples Lake

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of Caples Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Kirkwood sits at the heart of this high-altitude landscape, where the boundaries of El Dorado, Amador, and Alpine counties converge within the El Dorado National Forest. The map documents a transition in land use, showing the emerging infrastructure of the Kirkwood Meadows area alongside deep historical traces of the westward migration. The Old Emigrant Trail Historical Marker near the northern shore of Caples Lake identifies the path of early pioneers, while the Lost Cabin Mine tucked away near Woods Creek hints at the region's prospecting past.

Water management and recreation are central themes, with underwater contours for Silver Lake and Caples Lake provided by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Primitive campsites like Schneider Camp and Badaracco Camp are scattered among high peaks such as Thunder Mtn and Thimble Peak. The southern portion of the sheet is largely preserved by the Mokelumne Wilderness, crossed by the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and the Horse Canyon Trail.