1966 Map of Sheep Canyon

About this map

The Bighorn River cuts through the high desert landscape of Big Horn County, Wyoming, carving the dramatic Sheep Canyon through the northern slopes of Sheep Mountain. This mid-1960s survey reveals a territory defined by water management and transportation infrastructure in a drainage-scarred basin. The Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad tracks run parallel to the river, following the narrow corridor between the water and the rising mountain face. Away from the river, the landscape is marked by a series of ephemeral watercourses including Lovell Draw, Little Dry Creek, and Dry Creek. Modern industrial and agricultural development is evident in the straight lines of the Pipeline and the Agrarian Ditch, which contrast with the natural erosion of Ribbon Canyon. A solitary Gravel Pit and a network of Jeep Trails suggest local resource extraction and land access in this sparsely populated region.