Loading map...

1966 Map of Massacre Creek

Name: 1966 Topographic Map of Massacre Creek
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

Massacre Ranch sits as a lonely outpost within the high desert landscape of northwestern Nevada, centered on the drainage of Massacre Creek. The importance of water in this arid terrain is evidenced by the density of named water sources, ranging from the seasonally variable Middle Lake to a network of isolated springs including Emigrant Spring, Willow Spring, and Coyote Spring. These features suggest the historic movement of people and livestock through the region long before modern infrastructure reached this corner of Washoe County.

Industrial activity is limited to small-scale operations such as Gravel Pits, while the topography is defined by the deep incisions of Grassy Canyon and High Rock Canyon. A network of Jeep Trails provides the primary means of traversal through the hills, connecting remote locations like Trough Spring and Massacre Spring. This mid-1960s survey preserves the character of a working ranching landscape and the essential hydrologic landmarks required for survival in the Great Basin.