1965 Map of Tinajas Altas

About this map

The historic Camino del Diablo cuts through the arid Yuma County landscape, marking an approximate route that has long served as a vital passage through this section of the Yuma Desert. This 1960s survey captures a stark borderland where the Tinajas Altas Mountains and Gila Mountains rise sharply above the Davis Plain. The map details the remote geography of the Luke Air Force Range, an area defined by rugged relief and vital water points like the Tinajas Altas rock tanks and Raven Butte Tank. Near the northern edge of the quadrangle, evidence of desert industry is preserved at the Smitty Mine within the Copper Mts. Tracing the international boundary between the United States and Mexico, the sheet illustrates the physical isolation of landmarks such as Cipriano Pass and Tinajas Altas Pass, where the arid terrain dictated the paths of early travelers and prospectors.