1964 Map of Sykes Spring

About this map

Sykes Canyon and the surrounding high country of the Bighorn Mountain range define this landscape in the mid-1960s, a period when the Bureau of Reclamation was actively reshaping the region's hydrology. The impoundment of the Bighorn River Yellowtail Reservoir is the central feature, creating the Yellowtail Res and transforming the canyon floor. This survey documents the emergence of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, showing early infrastructure such as a Gaging Sta and boat ramps at Horseshoe Bend. Away from the water, the map records the older agricultural and industrial footprint of Big Horn County through the Big Fork Canal and scattered resource extraction points like a Quarry and Prospect locations. Seasonal water sources like Sykes Spring and Britton Spring remain vital landmarks in the arid terrain between Gypsum Creek and Crooked Creek.