2024 Map of Colony Ranch

About this map

Pueblo Mountains dominate the western horizon of this high-desert landscape in Harney County, where steep slopes descend into the broad Pueblo Valley. This 2024 USGS survey highlights a remote basin defined by a complex drainage network, including the braided reaches of Pueblo Slough and the winding course of Wilder Creek. Historically significant ranching and travel corridors are traced through modern roads like Fields Dr and the Fields-Denio Rd, which cut across the alluvial plains of Mapes Flat. The map reveals a land of sharp contrasts, from the high elevation of Red Point to the shifting Sand Hills near the valley floor. Researchers will find a preserved look at seasonal watercourses like Colony Creek and Van Horn Creek as they disappear into the desert floor, reflecting the traditional land use and hydrology of the Alvord Desert region.