1996 Map of Owl Lake

About this map

Owl Lake sits at the heart of this desert landscape, framed by the stark topography of the Owlshead Mountains to the north and the Quail Mountains to the south. This area, largely encompassed by the Fort Irwin Military Reservation, reveals a history of mid-century extraction and desert transit. The map documents industrial sites like the Black Magic Mine and New Deal Mine, tucked into the folds of the southern Owlshead range. These mines, along with the Owl Hole Springs Ruins, point to a period when remote water sources and mineral deposits dictated the sparse human footprint in this corner of San Bernardino County. Transportation is limited to rugged tracks such as Randsburg Road and Owl Hole Springs Road, which served these isolated outposts during the later decades of the twentieth century.