Loading map...

1969 Map of Mistake Point

Name: 1969 Topographic Map of Mistake Point
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Mistake Point and the steep Mendocino coast are the primary subjects of this 1969 topographic study. The landscape is defined by the sharp drop-off from the high ground of Timber Ridge and Timber Point down toward the Pacific Ocean, where Anderson Cliff and Jackass Cone overlook the surf. Inland, the terrain is deeply incised by a series of drainages including Little Jackass Creek, Northport Gulch, and Anderson Gulch, which channel runoff from the coastal heights.

The only significant transportation route through this territory is Usal Road, which follows the high ridges and provides access to private lands and surveyors' marks like Jackass South 2. Near the shoreline, the map identifies specific hazards and landmarks for maritime and coastal navigation, such as Big White Rock and a localized Tidal Flat. The document reflects a period when this section of the California coast remained largely underdeveloped, focused on the natural topography and the difficult passage provided by the ridge-line road system.