1971 Map of Three Forks

About this map

The Duck Valley Indian Reservation occupies the central portion of this high-desert landscape on the border of Idaho and Nevada. Surveyed in the early 1970s, the terrain is defined by a complex network of seasonal watercourses and spring-fed basins, including Marys Creek, Miller Creek, and Papoose Creek. The mapping reveals a remote rangeland where name-places like Cranes Nest and Three Forks Meadow indicate vital water sources in an otherwise arid environment. Human presence is documented primarily through primitive transportation routes such as the Damon Trail and Ryegrass Trail, which follow the natural contours of the drainages. These trails and numerous named springs, such as Watchabob Springs and Chicken Spring, provide a record of land use and navigation in Owyhee Co and Elko Co prior to modern development.