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1979 Map of Carson Sink

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of Carson Sink
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The Carson Sink dominates this interior Nevada landscape, a vast desert basin where the Humboldt River and Carson River terminate. In the late 1970s, the region was a complex patchwork of conservation, military use, and resource extraction. The Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge and Fallon National Wildlife Refuge preserve critical wetlands like Big Water and Foxtail Lake, providing a stark contrast to the nearby US Navy Bombing Target Area.

Resource seekers and historians can trace the old mining districts in the Trinity Mountains and Stillwater Range, where sites like the Desert Queen Mine and Falcon Eagle Mine are located. Transportation is anchored by the Southern Pacific railroad and Interstate 80, which skirt the basin's edge. Notable cultural sites include the Lovelock Indian Caves and Deals Indian Cave, marking long-standing human presence in this arid valley.