1990 Map of Dry Hills

About this map

Alexander Ridge dominates the northwestern corner of this landscape, its steep contours giving way to the expansive floor of Desert Valley. This 1990 provisional survey documents the sparse but vital water infrastructure of the Great Basin, where Willow Creek feeds into a Reservoir and Stock Pond near the Willow Creek Ranch. Further north, Alexander Ranch sits at the edge of the ridge, marking a pocket of settlement in an otherwise arid environment. The southern reaches of the quadrangle transition into a series of Dry Lakes and expansive Hardpans, indicating a terminal drainage basin. Near the Dry Hills, several marked Prospects suggest historical mineral exploration. Isolated infrastructure like Sand Dunes Well and various unnamed Windmills provide a look at the remote ranching and survey operations that defined this part of Humboldt County in the late 20th century.