2021 Map of Rabbit Peak

About this map

The Santa Rosa Mountains dominate this high-desert landscape, where the dramatic elevation change from the Coachella Valley floor to the high summits is clearly defined by steep contour intervals. This 2021 study captures the transition from the grid-patterned agricultural and residential outskirts of the valley into the protected wilderness areas straddling the Riverside and San Diego county line. Distinctive landforms such as Rabbit Peak and Villager Peak serve as primary anchors for this terrain, separated by deep drainages including Sheep Canyon and Barton Canyon. The northern edge of the map shows the very beginnings of human infrastructure, with roads like 76th Ave and Polk St pushing toward the base of the mountains, illustrating where the desert floor meets the rising peaks of the Santa Rosa range.