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1959 Map of Saddle Rock

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Saddle Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Rattlesnake Hills dominate the northern terrain of this Natrona County landscape, where the namesake Saddle Rock and Sagehen Hill provide prominent landmarks. The area is defined by a complex network of seasonal drainage systems, including Cottonwood Creek and Chokecherry Creek, which carve through the high plains. Human presence is concentrated at the Cottonwood Ranch, a lone settlement node in an otherwise open range managed through the mid-20th century.

Logistics across this part of central Wyoming relied on established routes like Poison Spider Road and the southern Dry Creek Road. This 1959 survey, updated with 1980s aerial data, captures the intersection of natural features like Roberts Draw and Black Rock Draw with the enduring infrastructure of Wyoming's ranching economy. The map illustrates how topography dictated the placement of early ranching outposts and the winding paths of rural connectors.