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2020 Map of The Elbow

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of The Elbow
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

Lake Owyhee defines the western edge of this High Desert landscape, where the reservoir winds through steep canyons and forms distinctive bends known as The Elbow, Big Elbow, and Burnt Elbow. The topography is dominated by dramatic ridges and basins, including Oxbow Basin and Wild Horse Basin in the north. Inland from the water, the terrain rises toward significant peaks such as Burnt Mtn, Iron Mtn, and Sheephead Mtn.

Hydrographic features like Oxyoke Spring and Rookie Canyon Spring provide critical water sources in an otherwise arid environment carved by numerous ephemeral drainages including Cherry Cr and Rookie Cr. Access into this backcountry is limited, primarily indicated by Fisherman Rd which skirts the reservoir. The map reveals a land structured by drainage patterns and volcanic geology, evidenced by the sharp contours of Nannys Nipple and the long expanse of Owyhee Ridge to the east.