338 Adventures in Scenery 



would be of interest on one trip, but pause at Coyote Wells and 

 make a side excursion north into the Coyote Mountains (Coy- 

 ote Peak stands 2,420 feet above the plain to the east) if you 

 are interested to see the coral reefs in the cliff sides, relics of 

 animal life of the ocean that was here when the rocks were laid 

 down as sediments on its bottom (in Tertiary time) . Painted 

 Gorge has been eroded in the soft sedimentary rocks by the 

 small stream which crosses the highway at Coyote Wells. Out- 

 cropping oyster beds occur southeast of Coyote Wells. 



The Imperial Valley 



Continuing out upon the plain of Imperial Valley to Plaster 

 City, cross Bullhead Slough and New River to Seeley (there is 

 a good bridge over the slough, so you will not need to get 

 mired). New River carries water (sometimes) to Salton Sea 

 from Colorado River. And here is El Centre, in the heart of 

 Imperial Valley, 50 feet below sea level, or 100 feet lower than 

 San Diego. The route has been over a vast mountain range, 

 the highest peaks of which rise above 6,000 feet above the sea. 

 The descent after crossing the axis of the range winds down the 

 fault walls that form the eastern side of the range. The vast 

 broad flat of the Imperial Valley is the bottom of the sunken 

 valley that was probably depressed below sea level at the time 

 when the great Peninsular Range was broken off and uplifted. 

 The fault walls form the mountain sides which bound the val- 

 ley on the west, the Elsinore fault, which extends far to the 

 north through San Gorgonio Pass and beyond. 



Before turning north from El Centro it may be of interest 

 to swing south a few miles to Calexico, at the International 

 Boundary, and of course to Mexicali across the line! The 

 highline canal is crossed by which water from the Colorado 

 River is carried to this modern Garden of Eden, appropriately 

 called Imperial Valley. 



El Centro to Brawley (elevation 115 feet), 14 miles; 

 Travertine Rock, 45 miles; Palm Springs, 102 miles. 



