Loading map...

1951 Map of Panamint Butte

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Panamint Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Panamint Springs serves as a lone outpost in this 1951 survey of the high desert, positioned where the Argus Range meets the expansive floor of the Panamint Valley. The landscape is defined by its transit history and mining legacy, featuring the Old Toll Road, the Eichbaum Toll Road, and the historic Nadeau Trail cutting through the arid terrain. These routes highlight the early infrastructure required to reach remote operations like the Big Four Mine near Panamint Butte and the Surprise Mine located in the southern Osborne Canyon.

The eastern portion of the map encompasses the boundary of Death Valley National Monument, where the topography rises sharply toward Towne Pass. Significant geographical features such as Lake Hill and The Dunes provide distinct visual markers within the basin. This map captures the mid-century state of Inyo County’s backcountry, documenting the specific placement of water sources like Lee Wash and Darwin Wash alongside a network of unimproved dirt roads and trails essential for desert navigation.