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1960 Map of Needle Rock

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Needle Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

Needle Rock stands as a prominent sentinel over this pocket of Goshen County, marking a landscape defined by sharp drainage draws and isolated ranching outposts in the early 1960s. The terrain transitions from the steady flow of Corn Creek in the north to the dramatic escarpments of Jackson Canyon and Josh Canyon in the south. These canyons slice through the high plains, revealing distinctive formations like Sugar Bowl Rock and Steamboat Rock.

Human activity is centered on widely dispersed homesteads, including the Otto Ranch, Hunter Ranch, and Wilkins Ranch. Of particular interest to local historians is the Trelona (Site), indicating a location of former significance that had largely vanished by the time of this 1960 field survey. The map also captures fine-scale details like fence and field lines across Needle Draw, illustrating the land-use patterns of Wyoming's high desert cattle country.