2018 Map of McMahon Ridge

About this map

McMahon Ridge and the volcanic prominence of Black Butte dominate this section of the Nevada desert landscape along the border of Esmeralda and Nye counties. This arid region, characterized by drainage channels like Big Wash, sits just east of the primary transportation corridor of Route 95. To the south, the terrain rises toward the slopes of Kendall Mtn, while the eastern portion of the sheet opens into the Ralston Desert. The map illustrates the sparse infrastructure typical of the Great Basin, where long-distance routes such as Silver Peak Rd provide the only access through large blocks of public land. The clear delineation of township and range lines, such as t1s r42e, highlights the geometric grid imposed on this complex, desert-mountain environment.