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1985 Map of Fossil

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Fossil
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Fossil Butte National Monument anchors this topographic study of Lincoln County, highlighting a landscape defined by its prehistoric geological significance. The small settlement of Fossil sits near the confluence of Twin Creek and several mountain drainages, serving as a focal point for the region's transport history. Evidence of earlier infrastructure is clearly visible through the Old R.R. Grade that winds through the valley, marking the path of the original rail line before later realignments.

The terrain rises sharply toward the Hams Fork Plateau and Fossil Ridge, where the complex network of the North Fork, South Fork, and East Fork tributaries carve through the high country. Modern utility corridors, including a Pipe Line and several Transmission Lines, cross the drainage basins, illustrating the evolution of this high-desert environment from a fossil-rich wilderness to a managed corridor for energy and conservation, supported by the small Roadside Park near the valley floor.