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1959 Map of Barlow Gap

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Barlow Gap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

Sweetwater Rocks dominate the southern landscape of this Natrona County terrain, where the high desert is defined by wind-scoured gaps and seasonal drainage patterns. During the late 1950s, this area supported several cattle operations, including the Circle Bar Ranch in the north and the Claytor Ranch near a small airstrip. The presence of the Vide Homestead (Aband) near McDougal Gulch suggests an earlier era of attempted settlement that had already faded by the time of this survey.

Water remains the critical factor for survival in this environment, evidenced by the scattered locations of Barlow Springs, Spring, and the presence of The Dry Lake. Names like Crilly Gap and Barlow Gap provide specific landmarks for navigators and local historians tracing the movement of livestock and people through the draws of Dry Creek and Greasewood Draw. A lone Prospect label indicates small-scale mineral exploration tucked away in the central hills.