2015 Map of Centennial Canyon

About this map

Coso Range dominates this topographic study of Inyo County, where the northern reaches of the Mojave Desert meet a complex network of arid canyons and high basins. The landscape is defined by its dramatic elevation changes, centered on the expansive Joshua Flat and the neighboring Lower Centennial Flat. These high-altitude flats are bounded by prominent vertical features like Sugar Loaf, reflecting the geological character of the Basin and Range province. Water sources are exceptionally rare in this environment, with Lower Centennial Spring marking a vital point of interest for historical land use and desert navigation. Deep erosional features like Centennial Canyon and Vermillion Canyon cut through the terrain, revealing the drainage patterns that have shaped this high-desert region over millennia.