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1964 Map of Ross Butte

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Ross Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

The confluence of the Green River and the New Fork River dominates this mid-1960s landscape, illustrating a complex network of ranching irrigation in Wyoming's high desert. Extensive water engineering is visible through a series of named channels, including the Hanna Ditch, Harman Ditch, and Wardell Ditch, which divert water from the river system to the arid terrain below The Mesa. A Gaging Sta on the New Fork River monitors these critical flows.

Historical movement across the region is marked by the Emigrant Trail cutting across the northeastern corner, following the edge of The Mesa. The topography rises sharply at Ross Butte and the long spine of Ross Ridge, while the southern reaches are defined by the drainage of Alkali Creek and Granite Wash. This survey captures the infrastructure of the open range, where Sheep Creek Road and various Jeep Trails provide the only access to the expansive grazing lands.