1990 Map of Sierra De La Lechuguilla

About this map

Sierra Tinajas Altas and Sierra Los Alacranes dominate this arid landscape along the international border between the United States and Mexico. This 1990 provisional survey documents a stark transition where the Lechuguilla Desert meets the Desierto de Altar in Sonora. Most of the territory is defined by large federal tracts, including the Barry M Goldwater Air Force Range and the Cabeza Prieta Wilderness and National Wildlife Refuge, reflecting the region's late-century management as both a military proving ground and a protected desert habitat. Evidence of human activity is sparse, marked primarily by the Joya Vieja (Pleta Cobre) site and the intermittent La Jolla Wash, which provides a topographical record of seasonal drainage patterns in this corner of Yuma County.