1981 Map of Little Whitehorse Creek

About this map

The Trout Creek Mountains and the deep incisions of the Oregon Canyons dominate this high-desert landscape on the border of Harney and Malheur counties. Surveyed in the mid-1970s, the map reveals a remote ranching environment where water is the primary organizing force. Significant drainages like Whitehorse Creek and Little Whitehorse Creek carve through the upland plateaus, supported by critical water sources such as Alkali Spring and Smith Spring. Evidence of human activity is sparse but telling, marked by the presence of a Corral, the isolated Pole Patch, and unnamed Ruins in the northern reaches. The drainage pattern of Fifteenmile Creek and Willow Creek further illustrates the complex watershed of this arid region, providing a detailed record of the geography before any modern modifications to the land's traditional use for open-range grazing.