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2018 Map of Porcupine Wash

Name: 2018 Topographic Map of Porcupine Wash
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2018
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2018

About this map

Joshua Tree National Park encompasses the heart of this landscape, where the high and low deserts meet amidst a series of prominent mountain ranges. The northern portion of the map is dominated by the Hexie Mountains, which slope down into the broad, arid expanse of the Pinto Basin. This area reflects the characteristic topography of the eastern Mojave Desert, defined by massive drainage systems like the Smoke Tree Wash that carry water from the heights during rare rain events.

In the southern reaches, the Eagle Mountains and Cottonwood Mountains converge, creating a complex series of ridges and canyons. The presence of Pinkham Spring in the northern canyons suggests a rare point of natural water in an otherwise parched environment. This 2018 survey provides an exact record of public land boundaries and topography for a region preserved for its unique ecological and geological transition zones.