1995 Map of Cuyama Peak

About this map

The Cuyama Valley serves as a primary corridor through this high-desert landscape, anchored by the small settlement of Ventucopa. This 1990s revision by the Forest Service highlights a rugged transition between agricultural use and protected land, with the Cuyama River winding southward past a Gravel Pit and scattered infrastructure like the Ventucopa Work Center. Steep drainages such as Quatal Canyon, Brubaker Canyon, and Apache Canyon carve into the mountain slopes, illustrating the complex hydrology of the Los Padres National Forest. To the southwest, the terrain rises sharply toward the Dick Smith Wilderness, where the summit of Cuyama Lookout Peak provides a dominant vantage point over the county line dividing Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. The placement of wells and water tanks throughout the valley underscores the critical role of water management for the community in this arid climate.