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2020 Map of Esau Canyon

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of Esau Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

The John Day River snakes through the high desert border of Sherman and Gilliam Counties, carving deep relief into the plateaus of North Central Oregon. This landscape is defined by its steep access points, where engineered routes like Ruggles Grade and Taylor Grade descend toward the water. The river passage is marked by Big Eddy, a notable water feature near the historic crossing at Cottonwood Bridge.

Remote infrastructure serves the surrounding ranching and aviation interests, evidenced by the presence of Ajax Airport on the southern tablelands. The map details a complex system of drainage and relief, from the broad expanse of Buck Hollow to the confined corridors of Esau Canyon, Devils Canyon, and Sixmile Canyon. Landmark elevations like Devils Butte provide orientation points in a territory where roads like Esau Rd and Ajax Ln follow the natural contours of the breaks.