1986 Map of Buckhorn Ridge

About this map

Humboldt National Forest lands dominate this high-elevation portion of Elko County, where the hydrological divide of Buckhorn Ridge separates various drainage basins. The map documents a landscape defined by seasonal water and cattle grazing, with prominent features like Pasture and the curiously named Choke-a-Man Draw. Water sources are vital in this arid environment, represented by Elk Spring and the perennial flows of Pole Creek and O'Neil Creek. To the southeast, the terrain opens into the O'Neil Basin, where the South Fork Salmon Falls Creek begins its course. This 1980s provisional survey captures the remote character of the Nevada backcountry, showing the network of unimproved roads and 4WD tracks that provided the only access for forest rangers and ranchers.