1988 Map of Porcupine Butte

About this map

Porcupine Butte rises as a central landmark in this high-desert landscape of north-central Oregon, where the drainage systems of Pine Creek and West Fork Butte Creek have carved a complex network of canyons and gulches. The area's ranching history is anchored by the Knox Ranch and several isolated improvements, such as the Stone Cabin located near the head of a canyon. This 1988 survey captures a terrain defined by water access and rough transit, marked by scattered water sources like Coates Spring and Starr Spring. Evidence of early industrial and transit activity remains in the form of an Old Mill Can and a Gravel Pit, while a lone Cem stands as a quiet record of early inhabitants. The map's extensive system of 4wd trails illustrates how the rugged topography of Chichester Gulch and Robinson Canyon dictated movement across this corner of Wheeler County.