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1954 Map of Little Picacho Peak

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Little Picacho Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The Chocolate Mountains dominate this arid landscape along the California-Arizona border, a region defined by sharp ridgelines and deep drainage channels in the mid-1950s. The eastern edge of the survey captures the vital interface between the desert and the Colorado River, where the Imperial Reservoir and Ferguson Lake provide a stark contrast to the surrounding parched terrain. This area is managed as part of the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, preserving a critical riparian corridor.

Evidence of small-scale mineral exploration is scattered across the mountains, including several Prospects and the Hess Mine near the center of the range. Navigation through this environment is primarily via a network of Jeep Trails that follow natural contours and dry beds such as Ferguson Wash and Senator Wash. Geodetic markers like Little Picacho Peak and Twin indicate the high points used by surveyors to map this complex topography.