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1964 Map of Big Springs

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Big Springs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Big Springs sits at the heart of this mid-1960s survey, where the water-rich geography of eastern Idaho meets the Union Pacific railroad line. The landscape is dominated by the sprawling Henrys Lake Flat and the northern reaches of the Targhee National Forest. This era shows a mix of recreational development and resource extraction, evidenced by the Island Park Golf Course and several prospects and borrow pits scattered near the timberline.

Water management is a primary focus, with a Gaging Station and spillway at Henrys Lake regulating the flow into the Henrys Fork. Numerous tributaries like Crooked Fork, Stephens Creek, and Howard Creek drain the surrounding Centennial Mountains and peaks like Mount Two Top. The map records a specific moment in the region's history, capturing the infrastructure of the Big Springs Airstrip and the network of jeep trails that provided access to the high country long before modern expansion.