2024 Map of Encina

About this map

Pleasant Valley sits at the heart of this landscape, where the high-desert terrain of the Virtue Hills meets the northern reaches of the Whitman National Forest. The map illustrates a classic Eastern Oregon transit corridor, dominated by the path of Old US Hwy 30 as it winds through drainages like Dry Creek and Quartz Creek. This route, historic even by the time of modern mapping, follows the natural contours of the land, flanked by numerous family-named gulches and springs. Local history and genealogy are anchored at the Pleasant Valley Cem, located south of the main settlement area near Dogtown Creek. The drainage patterns, including Ebell Creek and Lodge Creek, suggest a landscape shaped by seasonal water flow and ranching utility, with Johnston Spring and Alder Creek Spring providing critical water points in an otherwise arid environment.