1970 Map of Mexican Flats NW

About this map

The Continental Divide cuts diagonally across this high-desert landscape on the border of Sweetwater and Carbon counties. Tracing the historic path of western migration, the Overland Trail is clearly delineated as it moves through the arid terrain, offering a specialized look at the physical remnants of the 19th-century corridor as they remained in 1970. The drainage patterns are defined by the North Barrel Springs Draw and Barrel Springs Draw, which channel intermittent water toward the north. This 1970 field-checked survey also identifies modern resource exploration with a marked Drill Hole and a network of Jeep Trails that crisscross the sagebrush flats near Coal Bank Lake. It is a stark representation of the Red Desert region, where historic trails and modern energy development converge.