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1996 Map of La Tortuga Butte

Name: 1996 Topographic Map of La Tortuga Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2002
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2002

About this map

Tohono O'odham Indian Reservation lands dominate this mid-1990s landscape, where the Roskruge Mountains create a high-relief backdrop for isolated desert features. The topography reveals a history of water management and subsistence in an arid environment, marked by sites such as La Tortuga Well, Indio Tank, and Middle Windmill. To the north, the designation of the Ironwood Forest National Monument protects the desert ecosystem surrounding Pescadero Mountain.

A network of desert washes, including Aguirre Wash and Viopuli Wash, provides the primary drainage through the foothills. Evidence of human presence is found at the site of Graves near the foot of La Tortuga Butte, along with several mining prospects and a remote Landing Strip tucked between the peaks. The map details the transition from high mountain passes like Aguirre Pass to the flat bajadas that define the Pima County desert floor.