1973 Map of Smith Creek

About this map

Juniper Mountain and Rough Mountain dominate this corner of Owyhee County, where high-elevation plateaus are broken by a complex network of canyons and springs. During the early 1970s, the landscape was primarily defined by livestock operations and rugged interior access, as evidenced by Star Ranch and the presence of Craig Camp in the southern reaches of Big Tree Canyon. Water is the critical resource in this arid environment, marked by dozens of named water sources such as Castlehead Springs, Buckskin Spring, and Boggy Spring. Local navigation relies on primitive routes, including the Jeep Trail and the Grasshopper Trail (Pack), which connect high-country landmarks like The Monuments and Smith Meadow. The map provides a clear picture of the remote grazing and pack-trail geography of southwestern Idaho before modern developments altered these traditional mountain uses.