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1980 Map of Calico Butte

Name: 1980 Topographic Map of Calico Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1992
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1992

About this map

The high desert landscape along the Nevada-Oregon border comes into focus on this sheet, defined by the isolated water sources and ranching outposts essential to life in Humboldt County. Near the southern edge, Calico Ranch and a nearby Corral sit at the base of Calico Butte, where the reliable flow of Calico Spring feeds into Calico Creek. This area illustrates the precarious nature of water management in the Great Basin, evidenced by the presence of Owyhee Reservoir No. 4 and various springs like Mahogany Spring and Willow Spring.

Tracing the drainage patterns reveals a network of intermittent streams, including Willow Creek and the curiously named Wild Bills Creek. To the west, the steep rise of Mahogany Ridge dominates the skyline, while a cluster of Caves is noted along the rugged canyon walls of Piccolo Creek. The map documents a sparsely populated era where access was limited to primitive 4wd tracks, preserving a record of high-altitude ranching and geological features along the boundary with Malheur County.