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1972 Map of Gillis Ranch

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Gillis Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Gillis Ranch serves as a lonely outpost in this arid stretch of Val Verde County, characterized by the winding path of the Devils River as it begins to swell into the Amistad Reservoir. The landscape is a complex network of dry washes and deeply incised drainages, including Dead Mans Creek, Evans Creek, and the curiously named Little Satan. Evidence of remote ranching life is visible through features like the private Landing Strip and scattered water sources such as the Drill Hole and several tanks.

The eastern edge of the map follows the river corridor, which is protected as part of the Amistad National Recreation Area. Significant for local history and transit, old river fords like Pafford Crossing and Ruppard Crossing mark historical points of passage across the river. Large hydrological features, including two substantial spillways, indicate the engineering efforts to manage water in this desert environment during the early 1970s.