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1980 Map of Pegleg Canyon

Name: 1980 Topographic Map of Pegleg Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1980
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1980

About this map

Surprise Valley serves as the central focal point of this high-desert landscape along the California and Nevada border. The area is defined by its critical water sources in an otherwise arid environment, ranging from the Lower Lake at the valley floor to specific landmarks like Murphy Spring and a notable Spring (Hot). Settlement is sparse, represented by the Murphy Ranch, while the surrounding terrain is dominated by the steep rises of Hays Canyon and the Copper Smith Hills.

Transport and land use are etched into the topography through a network of Jeep Trails that navigate the ridges toward Pegleg Canyon and the Pegleg Reservoir. Evidence of local resource extraction appears at the Borrow Pit near the valley edge. This 1980 survey captures a specific moment in the management of these remote borderlands, where the boundary between Modoc and Washoe counties meets the state line.