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1982 Map of Tungsten Hills

Name: 1982 Topographic Map of Tungsten Hills
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

Tungsten Hills rise sharply above the Owens Valley floor, defined by a mid-century mining landscape that includes the Tungsten Blue Mine, Jackrabbit Mine, and Aeroplane Mine. The terrain is marked by the industrial infrastructure of extraction, featuring a Tailings Pond near McGee Creek and several prospect pits scattered across the eastern slopes. This 1982 map records the complex water management systems of the region, including an Aqueduct and penstock lines that traverse the eastern foothills near Bishop Creek.

Recreational transitions are evident along the southwestern edge within the Inyo National Forest and John Muir Wilderness. Family-named meadows like Sharps Meadow and Longley Meadow dot the high country, while established campsites such as Big Trees Campground and Forks Campground serve as gateways to the Sierra Nevada. The map documents the specific locations of water sources like Wells and various springs that supported both the mining operations and the growing leisure economy of the Eastern Sierra.