1966 Map of Big Trails

About this map

Big Trails serves as the primary focal point of this high-desert ranching landscape in south-central Washakie County, centered around the Big Trails Ch. The area's settlement pattern is dictated by water access, with the Nowood River and its numerous tributaries like Otter Creek and Little Nowood Creek cutting deep drainage patterns through the terrain. The presence of the Big Trails Stock Drive Road and Hazelton Road indicates the importance of livestock movement and regional connectivity in this portion of the Bighorn Basin. Land use is further characterized by scattered resources like the Big Spring and the curiously named Need Water Reservoir, while industry is represented by a small Gravel Pit. The map captures a transition between the river bottoms and the dramatic relief of Upper Canyon and the surrounding gulches.