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2011 Map of Van Horn Basin

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Van Horn Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

Pueblo Mountain overlooks a landscape of high-desert basins and seasonal drainages in this remote section of Harney County. The area is defined by the broad Van Horn Basin and Denio Basin, where the water of Van Horn Creek and Denio Creek shapes the local topography. Evidence of early 21st-century land use and historic habitation is visible through markers such as the O'Conner Homestead and Tiller Cabin, reflecting the persistent but sparse ranching and homesteading history of the Oregon-Nevada borderlands.

Lower elevations feature pockets of life like Mapes Springs and the aptly named Poor Farm near the southern map boundary. The presence of the Denio Cemetery provides a specific point of interest for genealogists tracing families from this isolated cattle country. From the high reaches of Stergen Meadows to the depths of Monument Basin, the map illustrates a network of 4WD tracks and local roads that connect these widely separated landmarks.