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1951 Map of Carson Sink

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Carson Sink
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

West Humboldt Range and the Trinity Range frame the desolate corridor of the Carson Sink during this early 1950s survey. The landscape is defined by the convergence of the Humboldt River into the sprawling Humboldt Lake bed, a terminal basin where water evaporates across the Alkali Flat. Evidence of early westward migration and infrastructure is prominent, with the Old California Trail Road and the Old Central Pacific RR Grade tracing historical pathways through the desert.

Industrial and cultural landmarks include the St Anthony Mine tucked into the northern heights and ancient sites such as the Ocala Indian Cave and Lovelock Indian Caves. To the south, the map documents the northern reaches of the Stillwater Wildlife Management Area, marking the transition from rugged mountain slopes to the vast, silty expanse of the sink. Small settlements like Miriam and Ocala serve as isolated points of reference along the Southern Pacific line.