1978 Map of Severe Spring

About this map

Minidoka Forest State Bird Sanctuary and the Sawtooth National Forest dominate this high-elevation landscape in Cassia County, Idaho. The terrain is defined by a dense network of hydrologic features and steep topographic relief, including Hudson Ridge and Cottonwood Ridge. A complex system of named springs, such as Severe Spring, Big Pipe Spring, and Chokecherry Spring, indicates the importance of water management for livestock in this arid forest environment. Evidence of historical land use and ranching is scattered throughout the region, marked by sites like Terrells Corral and the broad opening of Durfee Meadow. Transport across these ridges in the late 1970s relied on a lattice of unimproved tracks, including various pack trails and jeep trails that navigate the drainages of Squaw Creek and Trapper Creek.