2011 Map of Gibbon

About this map

The Umatilla River cuts through this corner of northeast Oregon, defining a landscape of sharp relief and descriptive local naming. The small community of Gibbon sits along the northern edge of Gibbon Ridge, near the confluence of the river and Meacham Creek. To the south, the settlement of Bonifer rests at the mouth of Boston Canyon, providing a look at the early 21st-century footprint of these rural outposts. The topography is characterized by a series of prominent spurs, including the curiously named Starve-to-Death Ridge and Plenty Bear Ridge, which separate the drainages of Hagan Creek and Ryan Creek. These ridges, along with Reservation Mountain and Stumbough Ridge, suggest a history of seasonal hunting and livestock grazing. Water sources like Rock Spring and Thompson Spring are vital landmarks in this high-elevation terrain, where primitive routes like Bell RD and Bingham RD follow the natural contours of the ridges and canyons.