1990 Map of Rock Spring Table

About this map

Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge encompasses the high desert plateau of this Humboldt County quadrangle, a landscape defined by volcanic mesas and critical water sources. The extensive volcanic plateau of Rock Spring Table dominates the center of the sheet, dropping away into the broad Rock Spring Basin. This area reflects the essential nature of the Great Basin water systems, where isolated sources like Rock Spring, East Rock Spring, and Cottonwood Spring provided the only reliable moisture for ranching and wildlife in an arid environment. Human activity is sparse, marked primarily by the Alkali Ranch and the Rock Spring Table Reservoir. Further south, the terrain transitions into the Wild Horse Pasture near Onion Lake, illustrating the traditional land use patterns of the Nevada high country in the late 20th century.