1952 Map of Palen Mountains

About this map

The Palen Mountains dominate this arid landscape in eastern Riverside County, where the stark transition from mountain peaks to desert basins is clearly defined. Along the western edge, the massive Colorado River Aqueduct carves a straight path through the Chuckwalla Valley, a critical piece of 20th-century water infrastructure. This survey captures a moment when human presence was limited to remote outposts like the Circle E Ranch and the isolated Coxcomb Landing Strip. To the south, the terrain sinks into the Palen Dry Lake, a vast catchment for the surrounding Sand Dunes. Movement through the region was largely restricted to the Parker Dam Hwy and a network of unimproved routes, including a Jeep Trail that navigates the difficult crossing at Palen Pass between the Granite and Palen ranges.