1958 Map of Trench Canyon

About this map

Mono Lake dominates the southwestern corner of this high-desert survey, its shoreline traced in 1958 before decades of shifting water levels. The landscape is a corridor of historical transit and industry, defined by the Old Railroad Grade and the diagonal Von Schmidt Line marking the boundary between California and Nevada. Industrial history is etched into the northern canyons, where the Syndicate Mill (Site), Gray Mill, and a Toll House suggest the area's mining heritage near the Brawley Peaks. To the east, the Toiyabe National Forest covers high ground above Alkali Valley, while local water sources like Warm Springs and Kirkwood Spring provide critical landmarks in the arid terrain. The presence of Mark Twain Camp in the northeastern reaches provides a unique link to the region's literary and frontier associations.