1960 Map of Hansen Lake NE

About this map

Chain Lakes Flat and the dramatic drop of the Chain Lakes Rim define this stretch of the Great Divide Basin. This 1960 survey, updated in the early 1980s, documents a high-desert landscape where water is the primary organizing force. The Chain Lakes themselves appear as a series of ephemeral basins scattered across the northern flats, while human activity is sparse, concentrated at Stratton Camp near the center of the sheet. The presence of a Well and a seasonal Spring highlights the critical nature of water sources for livestock or resource extraction in this arid environment. Transportation is limited to rugged tracks like the Riner Cutoff Road, which navigates the variable terrain between the northern plains and the more complex topography to the south. This map provides a clear record of land use in a transition zone of Sweetwater County before modern industrial shifts.