2012 Map of Twin Buttes

About this map

Marys River winds through this high-desert landscape in Elko County, creating a riparian corridor that has long served as a lifeline for ranching operations in a dry climate. The 2012 survey documents the layout of the Cross Ranch and its relationship to the surrounding drainage network, where multiple tributaries including Allen Creek, Pole Creek, and Gopher Creek descend from the higher elevations to the west. Evidence of geothermal activity is present at the Hot Spring and along Hot Springs Creek, highlighting the region's complex geology. Topographic prominence is marked by Twin Buttes and Skinners Point, which provide orientation across the sagebrush-covered terrain. This map serves as a contemporary record of land use and water resources in a region where isolated ranching outposts like Cross Ranch remain central to the local economy and history.