1966 Map of Castle Gardens

About this map

Honeycombs defines the rugged topography of this Washakie County landscape, where wind and water have carved distinct formations into the Wyoming basin. This mid-1960s survey reveals a territory centered on water management and land navigation, evidenced by the numerous small catchments like Witness Corner Reservoir, Chess Reservoir, and Bud Kimball Reservoir. These features, along with a Flowing Well and several labeled Drill Holes, point to the region's reliance on scattered water sources for livestock or resource extraction. Distinctive landmarks such as Castle Gardens, Wild Horse Butte, and Devil North Butte provide natural orientation points across the drainage of Big Cottonwood Creek and Nowater Creek. Movement through this high-desert environment was facilitated by the Blue Bank Road and various unnamed tracks, illustrating how ranchers and surveyors traversed the expansive townships of the Big Horn Basin.