1964 Map of Wilson Reservoir

About this map

The South Fork Owyhee River and its tributary system define this high-desert basin in northern Elko County during the mid-1960s. The landscape is characterized by a network of ranching operations, including the IL Ranch, VN Ranch, and Mitchum Ranch, which are connected by a web of Jeep Trails rather than paved roads. Water management is central to the area's utility, evidenced by the presence of Wilson Reservoir, Rawhide Reservoir, and Deep Creek Reservoir, alongside numerous unnamed springs. Historical resource extraction and local education are marked by the Cornucopia Mine on Cornucopia Ridge and the Edgemont Sch near Bull Run. This 1964 field-checked survey reveals a remote ranching economy dependent on high-elevation water sources and primitive transportation routes like those threading through Wilson Canyon.