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1943 Map of Cuyama Peak

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Cuyama Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

The Cuyama Valley defines this arid corridor of California's interior, where the Cuyama River flows between the high peaks of the Los Padres National Forest. The landscape is marked by a series of family-named outposts and ranching operations, including Monreal Ranch, Stutz Ranch, and Wycoff Ranch, which cling to the valley floor along the main transit route of road 399. The small settlement of Ventucopa serves as a central point of activity in this remote stretch of the coastal range foothills.

Rising sharply from the valley floor, the terrain climbs toward Cuyama Peak, which is capped by a Lookout Tower overlooking the complex network of dry washes and canyons. Drainages such as Deer Park Canyon, Quatal Canyon, and Apache Canyon carve through the sedimentary layers, reflecting a rugged topography where water is scarce but powerful when present. The boundary between Santa Barbara and Ventura counties bisects the region, anchoring the local-history interest in this transition between valley ranchlands and forest highlands.