1979 Map of Inside Lakes

About this map

Bruneau Canyon and the winding course of the Jarbidge River dominate the southwestern corner of this Idaho high desert landscape. The terrain transitions from the deep incisions of the river system into the expansive, arid stretches of the Inside Desert and Diamond Desert. Based on 1970s fieldwork, the map documents a sparse, open territory where water is a critical but rare landmark, most notably found at the Inside Lakes. Transport across this portion of Owyhee County is limited to a primitive network of a Jeep Trail and an older Pack Trail, reflecting the isolation and specialized land use of the region during this era. Surveyed before modern developments, the sheet captures the raw topography of the canyonlands and the intermittent drainages like Poison Creek that define the local hydrology.