1970 Map of Indian Cove

About this map

The John Day River carves a dramatic, winding path through this high desert landscape along the border of Sherman and Gilliam counties. Surveyed in the late 1960s, the terrain is defined by a dense network of drainages such as Jackknife Canyon, Rutledge Canyon, and Little Ferry Canyon that feed toward the river's deep loops at Indian Cove and Minton Cove. The map records a landscape managed for grazing and early transit, visible in features like the Dipping Vat Trail and the remote Lon Eakin Flat. Numerous family-named and descriptive landmarks—including Point Pedicord, Wilson Point, and Adobe Point—provide essential geographic anchors for local history and genealogical research. Smaller water sources like Penny Spring and Hawkins Spring are noted throughout the canyons, highlighting the critical importance of water points in this arid river corridor.