2014 Map of Tule Springs

About this map

The Alvord Desert floor and the rising elevations of the Tule Springs Rims dominate this section of Harney County. This 2014 survey captures a landscape defined by critical water sources in an arid environment, including Big Sand Gap Spring, Sailor Jack Spring, and the namesake Tule Springs. These points of reliable water historically dictated the movements of people and livestock through the High Desert. The terrain transitions from the flat desert expanse in the north to the more complex topography of the south and east, where Howluk Butte and various geological features like Big Sand Gap and Little Sand Gap provide distinctive landmarks for navigation across the open basin and range country.