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2018 Map of El Portal

Name: 2018 Topographic Map of El Portal
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2018
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2018

About this map

The Merced River carves a central corridor through this section of the Sierra Nevada, serving as the primary artery for the communities of El Portal and Rancheria Flat. The landscape is defined by the convergence of three major public lands: Yosemite National Park, Stanislaus National Forest, and Sierra National Forest. This intersection highlights the complex land management of the region, where the steep canyon walls of Ned Gulch and Cranberry Gulch meet prominent elevations like Trumbull Peak.

Historic transport routes like the Old Coulterville Rd and the Merced Grove Trail trace the northern high ground, while the canyon floor supports small settlements like Incline and Clearing House. Further south, the South Fork Merced River passes Hite Cove, a location tied to the area's mining and early settlement history. The topographic detail captures the dramatic verticality of the terrain, from the heights of Henness Ridge down to the cascades at Foresta Falls and Little Nellie Falls.