2014 Map of Panther Canyon

About this map

Petain Spring and Mud Spring provide rare water sources in this high-desert landscape, where the Sonoma Range and Tobin Range meet. The map reveals a network of canyons and passes, including Bardmass Pass and Sheep Ranch Canyon, that have historically dictated movement through the Great Basin. Remote ranching and land management are evident through the naming of Pumpernickel Valley and a system of unpaved access routes like Sheep Ranch Canyon Rd. Drainage patterns are clearly defined by seasonal watercourses such as Pollard Cr, China Cr, and Ragan Cr, which carve through the distinct geological boundaries of Garden Canyon and Panther Canyon. This topographic study by the U.S. Geological Survey details the elevation and drainage of a sparsely populated section of northern Nevada, essential for understanding the hydrology and land-use history of the region.