Loading map...

2011 Map of Desolation Butte

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Desolation Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

Desolation Butte and the surrounding high country of Grant County are defined by a network of drainage basins and high-elevation outposts. This landscape is a patchwork of namesake camps such as Sponge Creek Camp, Lower Howard Camp, and Jumpoff Joe Camp, which suggest a history of seasonal resource management and forestry. The topography is anchored by prominent summits including Jumpoff Joe Peak and Indian Rock, both of which serve as strategic vantage points marked by the Desolation Butte Lookout and Indian Rock Lookout.

Resource extraction is evidenced by the presence of the Skinner Mine near Skinner Creek and the Donaldson Mine to the south. The complex hydrography of the region is centered on Desolation Creek and its various tributaries, including the North Fork Desolation Creek and South Fork Desolation Creek. These waterways, along with high-mountain catchments like Jumpoff Joe Lake and Lost Lake, dictate the placement of early forest roads like 020 RD and 030 RD.