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1952 Map of Muskrat Basin

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Muskrat Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

The dramatic geological shelf of Beaver Rim dominates this mid-century topographic survey of Fremont County. This high-plateau landscape drops sharply into the expansive Muskrat Basin, revealing the complex drainage patterns of the high desert. At the base of these cliffs, Indian Grove represents a named landmark in an otherwise sparsely populated range.

The presence of the Sherlock Shearing Pens near the northern boundary highlights the sheep ranching economy that defined this region of Wyoming during the early 1950s. Water management and seasonal runoff are traced through numerous intermittent channels including Buffalo Creek, Cottonwood Draw, and Muskrat Creek. This map was produced as part of the Department of the Interior's efforts for the development of the Missouri River Basin, documenting a rugged landscape where few roads reached.