1973 Map of Gold Hill Wash

About this map

Dugway Proving Ground occupies the eastern expanse of this orthophotomap, where the desolate landscape of the Great Salt Lake Desert meets military boundary lines. The visual data, derived from 1973 aerial photography, reveals the intricate drainage patterns of Gold Hill Wash and Rodenhouse Wash as they cut through the arid terrain. Unlike standard topographic sheets, this orthophoto provides a direct photographic record of the Mud Flat environments that dominate the area's geology. This 1973 field-checked survey captures the stark transition between the alluvial fans of the western mountains and the vast, level surfaces used for military testing. The map is a valuable resource for understanding the mid-century physical state of these remote Tooele County lands before modern developments or changes in land use shifted the desert floor's character.