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1974 Map of Turnbull Peak

Name: 1974 Topographic Map of Turnbull Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Barren Valley and the dry flats of Opal Valley dominate this high-desert landscape in Malheur County, Oregon. The terrain is defined by its arid character, where water management is essential for survival, as evidenced by the isolated Ryegrass Ranch and its nearby Ryegrass Reservoir. These features, along with Turnbull Well, represent the critical infrastructure for ranching in a region where water sources are few and far between.

Volcanic history is visible across the southern expanse, where Saddle Butte and an extensive Lava Field rise near the Sheepshead Mts. Human presence is marked primarily by scattered benchmarks like BM 4566 and a network of Jeep Trails that navigate the slopes of Turnbull Peak. This 1970s survey captures a moment in the remote Oregon interior when land use remained focused on large-scale grazing within a landscape of stark geologic forms.