1964 Map of Knapp Lakes

About this map

Challis National Forest defines this high-elevation landscape in Custer County, where complex drainage networks feed into the Salmon River watershed. In the mid-1960s, the area remained largely inaccessible by road, defined instead by an extensive network of Pack Trails and Jeep Trails that provided the only passage through the high country. The centerpiece of the quadrangle is the glacial basin containing Knapp Lakes, Horseshoe Lake, and Fish Lake, situated beneath high ridges and Cabin Creek Peak. Evidence of mineral exploration appears in the southeast near the West Fork Yankee Fork, where scattered prospects indicate the proximity of historic mining districts. The terrain is characterized by steep canyons carved by Beaver Creek, Loon Creek, and Valley Creek, illustrating the primitive state of this mountain wilderness during the mid-20th century.