2011 Map of Hickey Basin

About this map

Creston and the nearby Creston Cabin anchor the northern reaches of this high-desert landscape in Malheur County, where water management is the defining human footprint. The terrain is marked by a network of seasonal drainages like Hickey Creek and Crowley Creek that feed into numerous small, essential water sources. These include Hickey Basin Reservoir, Bar Heart Reservoir, and the Andy Wilson Reservoir, illustrating the critical role of water storage in this arid region. The geography is punctuated by significant volcanic features such as the Dry Buttes and Swamp Creek Buttes, while the winding courses of Granite Creek Rd and Crowley-Riverside Rd provide the primary connections through the remote basin. This survey documents the localized infrastructure and terrain features essential for ranching and land management in eastern Oregon during the early 21st century.