Loading map...

1986 Map of Red Canyon

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Red Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

The Bradshaw Road cuts through this desert landscape, following a historic gold-rush era route that connects the Colorado River to the coast. This mid-1980s survey illustrates a region dominated by military and natural boundaries, where the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range meets the southern slopes of the Orocopia Mountains. The presence of the Reservation Boundary and the proximity of the Aerial Gunnery Range suggest a landscape largely restricted from civilian development, preserved in its mid-century state.

Water sources are infrequent and critical in this arid terrain, marked by scattered features such as Gucci Spring, Canyon Spring, and the noted Clemens Well (Dry). These sites, along with the drainage of Salt Creek and the deep incisions of Red Canyon, define the topography between the Maniobra Valley and the rugged Chocolate Mountains. The map serves as a record of these vital landmarks for desert navigation and military operations during the late 20th century.