2014 Map of West of Empire

About this map

The Fox Range dominates the western portion of this 2014 survey, where steep terrain transitions into the expansive alkaline flats of the Black Rock Desert. This area of Washoe County reflects a high-desert environment defined by extreme topographical shifts, from the 5,000-foot peaks of the range down to the vast, level playa to the east. Water sources are scarce and localized, represented by seasonal drainages such as Cottonwood Cr and Willow Cr that descend from the higher elevations toward the desert floor. The map highlights the intersection of several public land survey townships, including t31n r22e and t31n r22.5e, illustrating the complex sectioning of this sparsely settled corner of Nevada. This survey documents the landscape's natural state before modern industrial or recreational footprints altered the surface of the playa.