2013 Map of Rattlesnake Canyon

About this map

The Palouse River winds through this arid landscape on the border of Adams and Whitman counties, carving a deep path through the plateau. In the southern portion of the map, the small settlement of Gordon sits near the confluence of Willow Cr and the river, while the northern terrain is defined by the sharp descent into Rattlesnake Canyon. This 2013 survey illustrates a sparsely populated region dominated by intermittent water sources and small basins such as Negro Lake, Twin Lakes, and Kennedy Lake. Scattered springs like Turner Springs and Shobe Spring provide vital water points in an area otherwise characterized by its agricultural corridors, including Beckley Rd and Wa-26, which cut through the high desert landscape between the river valley and the northern coulees.