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2014 Map of Sand Pass

Name: 2014 Topographic Map of Sand Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2014
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2014

About this map

Mission Peak stands as the high point overlooking the stark transition between the Sand Pass Range and the expansive Smoke Creek Desert to the east. This 2014 survey documents a landscape defined by its critical water sources in an arid environment, where named points like Rotten Egg Spring, Round Hole Spring, and Sulphur Spring suggest a complex geothermal and mineral-rich hydrology. The alignment of Surprise Valley Rd follows the base of the mountains, tracing a historic path through the edge of the desert basin.

To the west, Dry Valley and the Dry Slick floor reflect the cyclical nature of water in this basin-and-range topography. The map detail highlights the namesake Sand Pass, a corridor between the high ridges and the alkaline flats. These labels provide a window into the navigation of the High Rock Country, where cattlemen and travelers relied on specific, named springs such as Laird Spring and Fish Spring to traverse the northern Nevada wilderness.