2024 Map of Long Island Marsh NW

About this map

Joshua is a focal point of settlement in this part of DeSoto County, situated where the high ground meets a complex network of wetlands. The landscape is defined by the transitions between flat woods and lower-lying basins like Sheep Pen Marsh and Tiger Bay. Numerous hammocks—islands of hardwood vegetation such as Turkey Hammock and Sour Orange Hammock—rise above the surrounding sawgrass and marsh, providing critical dry ground for early ranching and agriculture. Drainage patterns are influenced by sluggish waterways including Tiger Bay Slough, Slippery Slough, and Mossy Gully, which eventually feed toward Joshua Creek. Infrastructure such as NE Four Mile Grade and 4 Mile Grade Rd follows the long-established surveying lines of the Public Land Survey System, illustrating how human development has navigated this water-dominated environment.