2016 Map of Whirlwind Spring

About this map

Whirlwind Spring serves as a critical water source in this arid stretch of Brewster County, where the desert landscape is defined by dramatic elevation shifts and seasonal drainages. Rising in the northern part of the quadrangle, Elephant Mtn dominates the skyline, while deep cuts like Torvea Canyon and Bear Canyon mark the western high ground. The drainage network is anchored by Calamity Creek, which flows southward through the center of the sheet toward Butcherknife Draw. This modern survey by the U.S. Geological Survey shows how the terrain dictates the path of Route 118, the primary artery cutting through the valley between the high canyons and the eastern expanse of Chalk Valley. The map captures a landscape where water features, though sparse, define the historical and contemporary utility of the land.