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1956 Map of Big Hill

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Big Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

Big Jacks Creek and Sugar Creek carve through the high plateaus of Owyhee County in the mid-1950s, revealing a landscape defined by seasonal water sources and remote cattle country. The map highlights key transit points in this high-desert environment, including the named Wickahoney Crossing over Wickahoney Creek and several Jeep Trails that connect isolated landmarks. Distinctive terrain features like Table Butte and the Ridge provide navigational anchors for those moving between the intermittent drainages of Battle Creek and Deadman Gulch.

Strategic water improvements for ranching are evident at Broken Wagon Flat Reservoir and Hole in Rock Lake, while natural sources like Deer Water Spring remain critical. The map also records several Vertical Angle Bench Marks, such as Vabm 5035 and Vabm 4756, marking the highest elevations of this volcanic landscape. This survey documents the Owyhee backcountry before modern ranching infrastructure replaced the early trails and named crossings used by pioneers and stockmen.