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1959 Map of Shell Reef

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Shell Reef
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park dominates the western portion of this arid landscape, where the boundary between San Diego and Imperial counties cuts through a complex network of dry washes and desert terrain. The map documents a rugged environment defined by geological and historical markers, including the curious Pumpkin Patch and the namesake Shell Reef. These features, along with the Ocotillo Badlands, suggest a landscape shaped by ancient marine deposits and subsequent erosion, far removed from the more hospitable Five Palms Spring.

Evidence of early travel and exploration is preserved through the Los Puertecitos Historical Marker and several isolated wells such as Wolfe Well. The drainage patterns of San Felipe Creek, Tule Wash, and Tarantula Wash illustrate how water moves through this part of the Colorado Desert during rare rain events. This survey, based on 1950s data, captures the region before more modern recreational infrastructure reached these deeper stretches of the desert.