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2015 Map of Porcupine Wash

Name: 2015 Topographic Map of Porcupine Wash
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2015
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2015

About this map

Joshua Tree National Park encompasses most of this arid landscape, where the Mojave Desert meets the high-relief convergence of three distinct mountain ranges. The northern portion is dominated by the Hexie Mountains, which give way to the expansive alluvial floor of the Pinto Basin. To the south and east, the terrain rises again into the Eagle Mountains and the Cottonwood Mountains, creating a complex network of drainage systems.

Water movement in this desert environment is traced through seasonal channels like Smoke Tree Wash and the namesake Porcupine Wash. Essential water sources are few, though Pinkham Spring is noted in the western highlands. Transportation through the area follows established desert corridors including Pinto Basin Rd, while the Pinkham Canyon Trl provides a more primitive route through the southwestern canyons.