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1951 Map of Carson Sink

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Carson Sink
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

The West Humboldt Range dominates this mid-century landscape, separating the vast Carson Sink from the complex hydrology of Humboldt Lake and Toulon Lake. The geography is defined by ancient migration and transport corridors, featuring the Old California Trail Road West and the Old Central Pacific Road winding through the Trinity Range and Mopung Hills. These historic routes parallel the modern Southern Pacific railroad line, which passes through small sidings and settlements like Miriam and Ocala.

Cultural history is visible in the prominent Lovelock Indian Caves and Ocala Indian Cave along the mountain flanks, while the southern reaches of the map show the early boundaries of the Stillwater Wildlife Management Area. The terminal drainage of the Humboldt River creates a landscape of Alkali Flat and shifting Sand dunes, illustrating the stark environmental transition from the river sloughs to the arid sink.