“Deadwood River,” published by the United States Geological Survey in 1982 from survey data of the same year, presents a richly detailed portrait of central Idaho’s high country around Lowman. Drawn at 1:100,000 scale, it balances regional breadth with the practical precision for which USGS topographic mapping is celebrated. The sheet centers on the Deadwood River and its surrounding ridges, valleys, reservoirs, roads, and trails, locating them within the wider mountainous fabric of Boise National Forest. Its contouring immediately conveys the drama of the terrain: steep slopes, incised river corridors, high divides, and remote basins. For collectors, it captures a moment when traditional topographic cartography still served as the authoritative visual language of exploration, resource planning, recreation, and public-land management.

The USGS has long occupied a central place in American scientific cartography, and this map reflects the agency’s disciplined, data-rich approach. Established in the nineteenth century to classify public lands and understand the nation’s geology and resources, the Survey became synonymous with dependable topographic maps used by foresters, engineers, hikers, planners, and emergency services. “Deadwood River” belongs to that tradition: its gridded framework, carefully organized legend, hydrographic detail, and precise symbology transform a rugged landscape into an intelligible system. Roads, tracks, trails, drainage lines, boundaries, peaks, and water bodies are all presented with restrained clarity. The result is not merely a navigational document, but a scientific interpretation of terrain—an elegant fusion of measurement, field knowledge, and cartographic design.

Lowman, Idaho, anchors the human geography of the sheet, a small mountain community set amid forests, hot springs, river valleys, and high ridges. Its location has made it a natural gateway to outdoor recreation in the Boise National Forest, where hiking, fishing, camping, hunting, and backcountry travel define much of the region’s modern identity. The map shows the connective tissue of that landscape: roads threading along valleys, trails climbing into higher country, and river corridors guiding movement through otherwise formidable terrain. In a place where elevation governs weather, access, vegetation, and settlement, the contour lines become especially expressive. They show why communities such as Lowman developed where they did, in rare pockets of navigable valley amid a larger world of mountains.

The Deadwood River itself gives the map its name and its strongest geographic through-line. Rising in the forested mountains of central Idaho, the river and its tributaries carve a network of valleys that feed a landscape of reservoirs, ponds, lakes, and wet meadows. Nearby waterways, including the Salmon River system and the legendary country associated with the “River of No Return,” evoke Idaho’s reputation for wild, difficult, and spectacular terrain. The map’s hydrography is therefore more than a blue network of streams: it is a record of drainage, access, ecology, and isolation. Water routes shape the placement of roads and trails, while the surrounding contour patterns reveal the steep gradients that define this part of the northern Rockies.

As a 1982 topographic document, “Deadwood River” also holds historical interest as a snapshot of land use and environmental understanding at a particular moment. Since its publication, satellite mapping, digital elevation models, GPS, and geographic information systems have transformed how such landscapes are measured and navigated. Roads may have changed, trails may have been rerouted, reservoirs and recreation sites managed differently, and forest conditions altered by fire, climate, and evolving conservation priorities. Yet the map retains the authority and beauty of late twentieth-century USGS cartography: systematic, legible, and grounded in terrain. It invites close reading, rewarding the eye with a layered view of Idaho’s mountains, forests, rivers, and human pathways through one of the American West’s enduring backcountry landscapes.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Lowman, Idaho
• Boise National Forest
• Deadwood River
• Salmon River
• River of No Return
• Various trails and paths
• Reservoirs
• Parks
• Mountain ranges
• Lakes and ponds
• Roads and highways
• Elevation peaks and valleys

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the United States Geological Survey, this historical 1:100,000 topographical map shows Lowman, Idaho and the surrounding area.
• The map is dated 1982 and carries a 1982 imprint.
• Created in 1982, based on survey data from the same year.
• The USGS is a scientific agency of the U.S. government, renowned for producing detailed topographical maps to aid in land use, planning, and resource management.
• The map features a clear grid system to assist with navigation and scaling.
• Detailed contour lines depict elevation changes, including mountainous terrain, valleys, and water bodies.
• The legend, located at the right side, introduces common symbols for elevation and geographical features.
• Since 1982, advances in technology and mapping techniques have improved the accuracy and detail of topographical mapping.
• Land use changes and environmental factors may have altered the geography since the map’s creation.

Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.

Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 36x24in (90x60cm) version of this map.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.

Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.

With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.