1982 Map of Louisiana Butte

About this map

The China Lake Naval Weapons Center dominates this high-desert landscape in Inyo County, where military operations intersect with ancient geological formations. Situated between the Coso Range and the Argus Range, the terrain is defined by dramatic elevation changes from the floor of Etcharren Valley to the heights of Louisiana Butte. Evidence of early and mid-20th-century land use is visible in the presence of El Canelo Mine and isolated outposts like Junction Ranch and Howard Ranch. The geography is carved by significant drainages such as Petroglyph Canyon, Renegade Canyon, and Sheep Canyon, which feed into the seasonal Carricut Lake. To the south, the flat expanse of Wild Horse Mesa provides a stark contrast to the surrounding ridges, illustrating the transition from volcanic plateaus to deep alluvial washes like Darwin Wash and Junction Wash.