1968 Map of Alvord Hot Springs

About this map

Steens Mountain dominates the western portion of this 1968 landscape, its steep slopes giving way to a network of drainage systems including Wildhorse Creek and Pike Creek. The map documents a stark transition from high-elevation peaks down to the flat, low-lying floor of the Alvord Desert (Depression) and Wildhorse Valley. Human activity is marked by thermal features and early infrastructure, notably the Alvord Hot Springs and Belzar Spring. Evidence of prospecting is scattered throughout the canyons, with labels for a Mine, various prospects, and a set of Ruins. The presence of a Flume and Aqueduct near the eastern margin suggests the critical importance of water management in this arid environment, where isolated springs provided the only reliable water sources for early ranching and mining efforts in Harney County.