1948 Map of Tiefort Mountains

About this map

The Camp Irwin Military Reservation dominates this High Desert landscape, captured here in a 1948 survey that documents the post-war footprint of this Mojave training ground. Military infrastructure is localized around the Camp Irwin settlement in the southwest, where a Firing Range and Sewage Disposal plant are situated near the desert floor. The vast expanse of the map is defined by the stark topography of the Granite Mountains to the north and the Tiefort Mountains in the south, separated by expansive playas including Bicycle Lake and Drinkwater Lake. This era shows the critical reliance on isolated water sources in a barren environment, marked by Drinkwater Spring and Devouge Spring, alongside a lone Cem (cemetery) located amidst the alluvial fans of the central range.