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1967 Map of Owyhee Ridge

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Owyhee Ridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Lake Owyhee State Park anchors the northwestern corner of this remote High Desert landscape, where the waters of Lake Owyhee meet the rising slopes of the Owyhee Ridge. The terrain is defined by a series of drainages and upland plateaus, including Long Draw and Gordon Gulch, which showcase a network of livestock-era infrastructure. Numerous small-scale water management features like Rock Fence Reservoir, Bas Reservoir, and Stark Reservoir are scattered throughout the draws, highlighting the necessity of water collection in this arid Malheur County range.

To the south, the elevation rises toward Board Corral Mountain and Sheephead Ridge, where the landscape is etched by the Board Corral Gulch. A primitive network of transportation is visible via a Jeep Trail that winds through the center of the sheet, passing landmarks such as Devils Gate and Three Fingers Spring. The map documents a period of land use where isolated springs, such as North Alkali Spring and Monument Spring, served as vital hubs for cattle ranching before more modern developments reached this part of the Owyhee country.