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1955 Map of Opal Mountain

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Opal Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Opal Mountain and Black Mountain rise above a landscape defined by desert hydrology and early ranching efforts in the mid-1950s. The southern portion of the map showcases the geological complexity of the Mud Hills, where Fossil Canyon and Coon Canyon converge near the notable Rainbow Basin. This area is accessed by Fossil Bed Rd, indicating the region's significance for paleontological discovery and geological study.

Water security in this arid environment is recorded through a network of isolated outposts such as Blacks Ranch and Rainbow Ranch. The reliance on subsurface resources is evident from the numerous named water sources scattered across Superior Valley and Water Valley, including Murphys Well, Slocum Well, and the Blacks Ranch Wells. Further north, Inscription Canyon cuts through the volcanic terrain, while the ephemeral Superior Lake and Harper Lake mark the lowest points of the internal drainage basins.