1972 Map of Rattlesnake Canyon

Surface water is a critical and sparse resource here, marked by isolated points such as Two Hole Spring, Mound Spring, and Viscera Spring. The presence of several Prospect and Mine sites throughout the area suggests a history of localized mineral exploration in the late twentieth century, accessible primarily by the network of 4wd tracks and the Mound Spring Road. The transition from the alluvial valley floor to the sharp relief of Granite Peak illustrates the dramatic elevation changes characteristic of this Mojave Desert margin.