Loading map...

1947 Map of Clark Lake

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Clark Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Old Santa Rosa Indian Ruins stand as a silent testament to early habitation in the northern reaches of this desert landscape, situated high in the Santa Rosa Mountains near the Riverside and San Diego County line. The desert floor of Borego Valley shows a developing network of rural life in the late 1940s, anchored by Rancho De Anza, the Brinniger Ranch, and the Borego School.

Hydrological features define the survival and settlement patterns of this arid region, from the seasonal expanse of Clark Lake in the east to the life-sustaining Santa Caterina Springs and Hidden Springs. The map documents the primitive transportation network of the era, including the Rockhouse Trail and Truckhaven Trail, which navigate the steep transition from the peaks of Buck Ridge down through the dry canyons toward the valley floor.