Loading map...

1957 Map of Elk Mountain

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Elk Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

Humboldt National Forest encompasses the majority of this high-elevation landscape, where the state boundaries of Nevada and Idaho meet at the northern edge. The area is defined by a series of prominent peaks and buttes, including White Elephant Butte and Red Elephant Butte, which rise above the surrounding terrain of Buckhorn Ridge. This region reflects a mid-century period of federal land management and seasonal ranching, marked by scattered water sources like Bull Camp Spring and Pockets Spring that were vital for livestock and local wildlife.

Evidence of human activity is concentrated at the O'Neil Ranch and the Pole Creek Ranger Sta, connected by a network of primitive jeep trails. The drainage system is intricate, with the Middle Fork and South Fork of various creeks feeding into larger systems like Salmon Falls Creek. This 1957 survey provides an exacting look at the naming conventions and land use of the era, from the descriptive Choke-a-man Draw to the remote Buckhorn Pasture.