2015 Map of Palen Mountains

About this map

Palen Mountains dominate this 2015 topographic study of the Colorado Desert in Riverside County. The terrain is defined by dramatic elevation changes and a network of ephemeral washes that descend from the steep mountain ridges into the surrounding basins. This map focuses on a largely uninhabited and undisturbed desert landscape, providing a high-resolution view of the natural topography. The survey is meticulously partitioned by the Public Land Survey System, showing the township and range boundaries for t3s r18e, t4s r18e, and t5s r18e, along with their eastern counterparts. These grid lines provide the only human-imposed structure on an otherwise wild environment, which remains an essential reference for understanding the physical geography and land management of this remote California desert region.