2021 Map of Rairden

About this map

The Bighorn River valley defines this landscape along the border of Big Horn and Washakie counties. The map reveals a complex irrigation infrastructure essential to the high desert climate, including the Big Horn Canal, Fritz Canal, and the Upper Hanover Canal. Small settlements like Rairden and Durkee anchor the agrarian and industrial activities of the region. The southern portion of the map is dominated by energy extraction at the Devon Oilfield, with access provided by the Devon Oilfield Rd. This intersection of water management and petroleum extraction illustrates the dual nature of Wyoming’s rural economy. From the banks of Fivemile Cr to the reaches of the Lower Hanover Canal, the survey traces the persistence of small-scale hubs in a landscape of coordinated natural resource development.