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2021 Map of Lunar Crater

Name: 2021 Topographic Map of Lunar Crater
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2021
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2021

About this map

Lunar Crater and the distinctive Easy Chair Crater define this volcanic field in the high desert of Nye County. The 2021 topography emphasizes the geological complexity of the Pancake Range, where dramatic escarpments like Lunar Cuesta and Little Lunar Cuesta rise above the flat basins of Big Sand Springs Valley. This landscape is shaped by ancient eruptive activity, visible in the perfectly circular basins and the jagged edges of Monocline Canyon.

Water is a scarce but defining element in this arid environment, represented by the ephemeral Lunar Lake and the Lava Bed Catch Basin. Remote travel through the territory is marked by the lone Easy Chair Crater Rd, providing access to isolated landmarks like North Kidney Butte and Lava Bed Spring. The map documents a rugged interior Nevada landscape where geological features dictate the sparse human footprint.