2017 Map of Upper Powder Spring

About this map

The Shell Creek Stock Trl winds through the high desert landscape of Sweetwater County, serving as a legacy of the region's ranching and livestock history. This 2017 survey details a remote arid expanse defined by the Skull Creek Rim and the Powder Rim, where water management is the primary marker of human activity. The landscape is dotted with numerous catchments and seasonal water sources, including the aptly named Miserable Reservoir, No Name Reservoir, and Washout Reservoir. These small-scale water projects, alongside Upper Powder Spring and Lower Powder Spring, illustrate the essential infrastructure required to support life and livestock in this corner of Wyoming. Drainages such as Skull Cr and the North Fork Powder Wash provide the natural skeleton for the area's geography, connecting the various reservoirs and stock tanks that define the local topography.