2012 Map of Hay Meadow Reservoir

About this map

Emigrant Trl and other historic overland routes dominate this high plains landscape in Sweetwater County, highlighting the region's enduring role as a corridor for westward movement. Modern roads like McCann Ranch Rd follow the same general trajectories as the ancient trails and the Lander Pinedale Stage Rd, connecting isolated outposts such as McCann Ranch. The hydrology of this arid environment is clearly defined by seasonal watercourses like Dry Sandy Cr, Sulphur Cr, and Pacific Cr, which converge or drain toward the southern basin. The primary water feature, Hay Meadow Reservoir, provides a critical catchment area in a landscape characterized by broad depressions such as Monument Draw. Traces of the 19th-century frontier are preserved in the alignment of the Dry Sandy Stage, illustrating how early transportation networks were dictated by the availability of water at intermittent creek crossings.