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2014 Map of Wall Spring

Name: 2014 Topographic Map of Wall Spring
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2014
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2014

About this map

Smoke Creek Desert dominates the southern reaches of this landscape, its expansive alkali flats meeting the rising topographic contours of the surrounding high desert. This corner of Washoe County is defined by its scarce water sources, where Wall Spring and Indian Rock Spring provided critical relief for those traversing the arid terrain. The map traces the intermittent paths of Squaw Cr and Dry Cr, which flow through the Squaw Creek Valley during seasonal runoff.

Evidence of early transit and ranching history appears in the placement of Surprise Valley Rd and the more remote Sand Pass Rd near Freds Field. To the west, the terrain becomes increasingly complex as it rises into the steep drainages of Little Sawmill Canyon and Five Springs Canyon, punctuated by the distinctive height of Indian Rock. This survey documents a quiet but historically significant desert corridor where geography dictated the patterns of movement and settlement.