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1963 Map of Hayfield

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Hayfield
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Joshua Tree National Monument anchors the northwestern corner of this 1963 survey, where the Eagle Mountains descend into the arid basins of the Colorado Desert. The landscape is defined by the vital infrastructure of the Colorado River Aqueduct, which traverses the Chuckwalla Valley through a series of siphons and tunnels, including Hayfield Tunnel No 1. This massive water project is supported by the Hayfield Station pumping facility and Hayfield Lake, which sits as a prominent catchment area between the mountains.

Transportation and resource extraction routes thread through the desert, from the historic Bradshaw Road in the south to the modern Chiriaco Summit Airport near the northern pass. The presence of Canyon Spring and the Lost Palms Oasis highlight the rare water sources that historically sustained travel through these ranges. To the south, the terrain transitions into the Aerial Gunnery Range and Naval Reservation, marking the significant mid-century military footprint in the Chocolate Mountains.