1980 Map of Black Butte West

About this map

The Saylor Creek Air Force Range dominates the western half of this Idaho high-desert landscape, established as a military training area within the wider Bruneau Desert. The terrain is defined by dry drainage systems and volcanic features, most notably the prominent Black Butte and the smaller Sailor Cap Butte to the northwest. Land use in this arid region is reflected in scattered ranching infrastructure, such as the Corral found in the southeastern sector. Water, though scarce, is traced through the winding paths of Pot Hole Canyon and Pot Hole Creek, leading toward the Pot Hole Reservoir. In the north, the Lower Black Butte Crossing suggests a established route across the canyon floor, likely serving as a critical point for local navigation through the sagebrush and lava fields of Owyhee County during the late twentieth century.