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2004 Map of El Portal

Name: 2004 Topographic Map of El Portal
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2007
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2007

About this map

Merced River canyons and steep montane terrain define this Mariposa County landscape during the early 21st century. The map centers on the El Portal gateway, showing the transition from the Stanislaus National Forest and Sierra National Forest into the Yosemite National Park boundary. Several distinct settlements and historic sites are visible along the river corridor, including Rancheria Flat, Incline, and Clearing House. Higher elevations reveal notable landmarks such as the Merced Grove Big Trees in the northwest and Trumbull Peak to the west.

The human footprint in this wilderness is evidenced by numerous Prospects and historic travel routes like the Coulterville Road and Hite Cove Route. Isolated communities such as Foresta and Big Meadow sit perched above the drainage of Crane Creek. The mapping of small features like Little Nellie Falls and the Fire Station at El Portal provides a detailed look at the infrastructure supporting both the local community and the National Park Service operations at the turn of the millennium.