1979 Map of Blackstone Reservoir

About this map

Blackstone Ranch serves as a lone human outpost in this high-desert landscape of Owyhee County, situated along the edges of the Blackstone Desert. The area is defined by a series of intermittent drainage systems and rugged volcanic geography, where Louse Creek and Nit Creek carve through the plateau. Central to the map's water management is the Blackstone Reservoir, a vital resource for ranching operations in a region otherwise characterized by arid terrain like Big Holes and the remote reaches of Bighorn Country. Transport across this landscape is limited to the Blackstone Grasmere Road and a network of unimproved ways designated as Jeep Trails. The 1970s survey data reveals the sparse infrastructure of the era, including scattered Gravel Pits and the winding course of Juniper Draw, reflecting the isolation of southwestern Idaho's cattle country.