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2011 Map of McDowell Peak

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of McDowell Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

McDowell Peak and the high desert ridges of the McDowell Mountains dominate this 2011 survey, illustrating the intersection of suburban Scottsdale development and the preserved Sonoran landscape. To the south and west, master-planned communities like DC Ranch, McDowell Mountain Ranch, and Desert Highlands showcase the northward expansion of the valley's residential footprint. The Arabian Library serves as a modern landmark in this developing corridor, while the high peaks remain largely untouched by the surrounding grid.

Evidence of the area's older history persists in the rocky gaps, most notably at the Dixie Mine on the eastern edge of the range. Named summits such as Thompson Peak and Drinkwater Peak loom over the winding routes of E Pinnacle Peak Rd and E Dynamite Blvd. The map captures a specific moment when the desert floor was rapidly filling with named subdivisions like Pinnacle Peak Heights and Troon, while the higher elevations of Fraesfield Mountain remained an open contrast to the suburban sprawl.