2020 Map of Diamond Butte

About this map

Lake Owyhee dominates this high-desert landscape in Malheur County, following the serpentine course of the Owyhee River through deep canyons. The 2020 survey illustrates a sparsely populated region where geography is defined by volcanic features like Diamond Butte and Red Butte. Evidence of early 20th-century life remains at the Watson Cem, a quiet indicator of the small communities that existed here before the river was dammed. The map details a network of springs and basins essential to the region's ranching and natural history, including Gillespie Spring, Red Rock Spring, and the geothermal activity at Hot Spring. Prominent landforms such as The Tongue and the deep cut of Blue Canyon illustrate the erosive power that has shaped this corner of Oregon over millennia.