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1968 Map of Antelope Flats

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Antelope Flats
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Overland Trail history is etched into this high-desert landscape, where the historic stage and wagon route crosses the northeast corner near Bitter Creek. The 1968 survey reveals a terrain defined by massive escarpments, including the prominent Sixmile Rim and the Sand Butte Rim to the south. Water is the primary driver of names and activity in this arid region, from the crucial Antelope Springs and Barney Meadows Spring to the seasonal drainage of Patrick Draw.

Evidence of early frontier transit remains visible at Big Pond Station (Ruins), a site that once served travelers on the trail. The map also documents the mid-century industrial footprint of the area, noting a Gas Well and several drill holes scattered across the draws. The vast Antelope Flats and the cattle-raising geography of Barney Meadows illustrate the traditional open-range use of the Sweetwater County backcountry during this era.