1970 Map of Needle Mountain

About this map

Needle Mountain and Crater Mountain dominate this high-elevation landscape in the Absaroka Range of northwest Wyoming. Surveyed in 1969 and 1970, the map illustrates a transition into the federally protected Washakie Wilderness within the larger Shoshone National Forest. This terrain is defined by steep drainages like Needle Creek and the South Fork Anderson Creek, where narrow watercourses have carved deep into the rocky massifs. The lack of mechanized infrastructure is evident, as movement through the area relies entirely on primitive routes such as the Pack Trail and the Boulder Basin Trail (Pack). To the north, Boulder Ridge separates these watersheds, providing a clear picture of the primitive state of the Wyoming backcountry before modern development or expanded access trails were established.