2015 Map of Palo Escrito Peak

About this map

The Salinas River valley serves as a geographic divide in this 2015 study, separating the agricultural lowlands from the high peaks of the Sierra de Salinas. To the north and east, the valley floor is anchored by the rail and road hubs of Gonzales and Soledad, with smaller waypoints like Molus and Camphora dotting the corridor. The rural cemetery at Gonzales Cemetery sits just north of the junction where Tavernetti Rd meets the main thoroughfare. Moving southwest, the terrain rises sharply toward the summits of Palo Escrito Peak and Paloma Mtn. This landscape is marked by deep cuts such as Bear Canyon and Slate Canyon, illustrating the transition from the fertile river basin to the ridges of the Paloma Ridge and the Rana Creek drainage.