2018 Map of Chaos Creek

About this map

Squaw Wells Spring and Needles Spring serve as vital water markers in this arid section of Nye County, where the desert landscape is defined by abrupt volcanic and rocky outcrops. The central topography is dominated by the Needle Range and the distinctive formations of The Needles, giving way to the chaotic drainage patterns of Chaos Cr and its various forks. To the west, the aptly named Jumbled Rock Gulch and Squaw Hills overlook a series of isolated peaks including Chaos Knob and Basalt Butte. This survey by the U.S. Geological Survey reveals a remote wilderness largely devoid of modern development, where the vast Big Sand Springs Valley meets the southern elevations of the Heart Hills. The map provides a clear view of the complex hydrology of the Great Basin, tracing the intermittent flow of Sand Springs Wash and N Fork Cabin Cr across the basin floor.