![]() Some states even have web-map interfaces that show the locations of trick tanks. These have become more widespread as natural springs have gone dry. Guzzlers/trick tanks – Typically built by state game departments, these are usually water-catchment systems used to fill troughs for wildlife.Solar panels added to windmills to power electric pumps are encouraging to see on satellite. Shadows from windmills on satellite imagery are usually quite clear but obviously don’t indicate anything about functionality. Windmills – These are ubiquitous across the West to power water wells that feedstock tanks and troughs.Many wells have been abandoned, however, and empty troughs are never an encouraging sign. Wells – These often have nearby water tanks or troughs, and water in bigger troughs can usually be seen in satellite imagery.On satellite view, dark green vegetation downslope from the spring is encouraging but rarely a sure sign of water. So in my experience, most springs on these topos are unlikely to actually have water. But many have gone dry during the decades-long drought in the west and some have been sealed with the water piped downslope for livestock. Springs – USGS topos have virtually all natural springs marked in arid regions.I’ll also look for potential water sources a few miles off-route. I’ll mark each location where I find something that looks potentially promising for water, and then I’ll return to further investigate it in the next step. Generally, if something looks bone dry in satellite view, I’ll assume there’s no chance I’d actually find water there. Often, zooming in and switching to a satellite layer helps with quickly evaluating the likelihood of maybe finding water at that location. Next, I scroll along the entirety of the route looking at USGS topographic map scans looking for any potential water source.During cooler months, water might be turned off in public campgrounds/facilities, so sometimes a few quick phone calls are necessary for verification. Mark any towns and facilities along the way that are certain to have water available.Usually these trips of mine have some theme or goal – peaks to scramble up along the way, a Joshua tree forest to camp in, an area with unique geology I want to poke around in, etc. I start by drawing out the route I’d like to ride in the Ride with GPS Route Planner.I’ll also try to embark on these trips after a storm system has moved through, making finding water a little more likely. I’ll typically venture out on trips like this during cooler winter or shoulder season months that require less water and are less consequential should I run into a problem. So I’m excited to finally share some of what I’ve learned here in the form of the step-by-step process I go through when planning out a trip in a desert area unfamiliar to me. And in developing routes for others across arid country like the Western Wildlands Route, the Bears Ears Loops in southern Utah, and the Kofa Refuge Bike Tour in southwest Arizona, I’ve spent a lot of time inventorying potential water sources and talking to locals about water reliability. ![]() ![]() Gradually, I got a better feel for these landscapes and how what I saw on topo maps and satellite imagery translated to potential for actual water on the ground. For years, I poked around at the edges of some of these regions, bikepacking and hiking on routes where I knew I’d be able to find water.
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