1953 Map of Pathfinder Reservoir SW

About this map

The Pathfinder Reservoir dominates the high-desert landscape of Carbon County in this mid-century survey, its fingers reaching into a network of drainages that define the local topography. To the west of the reservoir, the Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge provides a protected environment for migratory birds and local fauna, while the rugged eastern shore rises sharply into the Pedro Mountains. Human presence is sparse, centered on the Park Ranch and a series of utilitarian transport routes like the Jeep Trail that traverse the rolling hills. The drainage pattern is exceptionally detailed, featuring evocatively named watercourses such as Sunday Morning Creek, Junk Creek, and Deweese Creek. This map captures a specific moment in Wyoming's water management history, showing the spillway elevations and the relationship between the reservoir and the surrounding ranching and conservation lands.