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1963 Map of Elk Lake

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Elk Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

The headwaters of the Deschutes River emerge from the volcanic landscape of central Oregon in this mid-1960s study, flowing from Little Lava Lake south through the high mountain forest. This region is defined by a dense concentration of alpine lakes and cinder formations, where the boundaries of the Deschutes National Forest and Willamette National Forest converge near Lane Co Deschutes Co. The landscape includes established outposts like the Elk Lake Guard Sta and Horse Lake Guard Sta, which supported forest management before the expansion of modern recreation.

Industrial activity is represented by a Cinder Pit near Red Crater, while the Cascade Lakes Highway provides the primary artery through this high-elevation terrain. Numerous campgrounds, including Beach Campground and Mallard Marsh, dot the shores of Elk Lake and Hosmer Lake, illustrating the post-war transition toward organized outdoor tourism in the Cascades. Traditional transit is still marked by the Skyline Trail and Horse Lake Trail, tracing routes through Island Meadow and past Moolack Butte.