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1961 Map of Dairy Valley

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Dairy Valley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Dairy Valley and the high desert plateaus of the Nevada-Utah border are defined by a complex network of springs and canyons in this 1961 field-checked survey. The landscape is marked by essential water management for ranching and survival, evidenced by the Granite Creek Reservoir, Mill Creek Reservoir, and the significant Crittenden Reservoir to the south. Numerous family-named landmarks and water sources like China Jim Spring, Mecham Creek, and Morse Creek suggest a history of seasonal grazing and movement through the high country.

Transit through the area relied on rugged paths such as the Schoolhouse Canyon Trail and gaps in the topography like Signboard Pass and The Narrows. The map also captures the distinct geological divide at the Elko Co and Box Elder Co line, where the terrain shifts toward Kilgore Basin and the Monte Basin. This record provides a clear look at the remote interior before modern infrastructure changed the way these borderlands were accessed.