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1952 Map of Palen Mountains

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Palen Mountains
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The Chuckwalla Valley and the surrounding desert landscape are defined by high-heat terrain and sparse outposts in this mid-century survey. Human presence is concentrated around vital infrastructure like the Colorado River Aqueduct and the isolated Coxcomb Landing Strip. To the east, the Granite Mountains and Palen Mountains rise sharply above the basin floor, connected by the high crossing at Palen Pass.

The map reveals the precarious nature of desert life, highlighting solitary features such as Packard Well and the Circle E Ranch. The southern expanse is dominated by the Palen Dry Lake (Depression) and shifting Sand Dunes, illustrating a wilderness shaped by wind and ephemeral water. Several Prospects and a lonely Jeep Trail trace the movements of those who ventured into these mountains for mineral wealth during the early Cold War era.