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1961 Map of Cholame Hills

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Cholame Hills
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1993
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1993

About this map

The San Andreas Rift Zone slices through the northeastern corner of this landscape, creating a distinct geological break along the base of the Cholame Hills. This seismically active corridor shapes the course of Cholame Creek and defines the eastern edge of the Cholame Valley. The interior of the hills is marked by an intricate network of drainage systems, including Keyes Canyon and Mad Springs Canyon, which fall across the boundary between Monterey Co and San Luis Obispo Co.

Water sources are the primary indicators of human and livestock presence in this arid region, with numerous named points such as Cottonwood Camp Spring, Square Corral Spring, and Wild Horse Spring scattered throughout the hills. Near the rift zone, Covington Lake and various storage bins suggest localized ranching activity. The map also traces a segment of the Grant Bdy, a remnant of early land divisions that still influenced property lines and infrastructure development into the late twentieth century.