2012 Map of Red Cow Creek

About this map

Red Cow Creek and its many tributaries define this high-desert drainage basin in northern Elko County. The landscape is characterized by a dendritic network of seasonal and perennial waterways, including Wild Horse Creek and Amazon Creek, which converge as they move through the territory. The 2012 topography shows a sparsely developed region where natural drainage patterns dictate the layout of the few primitive roads and paths that cross the terrain. Historically part of the vast Nevada rangelands, the area remains focused on the water sources that sustain life in the Great Basin, with Chino Creek and Fourmile Creek carving distinct paths through the elevation contours. This map serves as a record of the hydrography and undeveloped character of the northern Elko backcountry at the beginning of the twenty-first century.