2012 Map of Crescent Dunes

About this map

Crescent Dunes dominates the northern expanse of this High Desert landscape just north of Tonopah, Nevada. Published by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2012, this sheet illustrates the stark transition from the wind-sculpted sand formations of the dunes to the rocky eastern elevations of the San Antonio Mountains. The mapping documents the arid drainage patterns and intermittent washes that define the area's hydrology, alongside a network of roads that service this specific section of Nye County. While the terrain is predominantly open, the juxtaposition of these two distinct geological formations—the massive dunefield and the mountain range—highlights the geographic complexity of the Great Basin region during the early 21st century.