Published in 1977 from 1973 topographic work, the US Geological Survey’s “McCall” presents one of Idaho’s most beloved mountain lake districts with the precision and restraint that define the agency’s finest quadrangle maps. Centered on McCall and Payette Lake, it records a landscape poised between working mountain country and emerging resort destination. At 1:24,000 scale, the map gives an intimate view of roads, trails, waterways, contours, and settlement patterns, capturing the area before later decades of growth transformed McCall into a major hub for recreation. Its careful delineation of shoreline, elevation, and drainage makes it both a practical navigational document and a historical portrait of west-central Idaho in the 1970s.

The US Geological Survey brought to this map nearly a century of institutional expertise in measuring and describing the American landscape. Founded in 1879, the USGS became indispensable to exploration, resource management, infrastructure planning, and public land administration. In the “McCall” quadrangle, that scientific mission is expressed through disciplined cartography: contour lines articulate ridges and basins, hydrographic features are clearly prioritized, and roads and trails are integrated into the terrain rather than imposed upon it. The result is a map of unusual clarity, where the viewer can read the land’s structure at a glance. Its understated style reflects the USGS ideal that beauty emerges from accuracy, proportion, and the faithful organization of geographic knowledge.

Payette Lake dominates the composition, its broad mountain waters forming the scenic and cultural heart of the map. The town of McCall lies along its southern shore, positioned where access, recreation, and settlement naturally converge. Nearby Little Payette Lake and the surrounding creeks extend the hydrological story, while Fish Creek, Goose Creek, and Campbell Creek trace the smaller arteries that feed and shape the landscape. The map also situates Ponderosa State Park, a defining recreational landmark whose peninsula and forested shoreline have long drawn visitors for boating, fishing, camping, and winter sports. Together these features reveal why McCall’s setting became so coveted: alpine water, forested relief, and accessible mountain terrain gathered in close proximity.

The topographic character of the map is especially compelling. Contour lines rise and fall around Payette Lake, revealing hills, valleys, and benches that are less obvious from a conventional road map. The terrain surrounding McCall belongs to the broader Long Valley region, where mountain slopes, lake basins, and river corridors create a varied and legible landscape. The North Fork Payette River and South Fork Payette River place the area within a larger drainage system of great importance to Idaho’s geography. Trails and minor roads, some unnamed, suggest the layered use of the land by residents, foresters, anglers, hikers, and seasonal travelers navigating between water, timber, and high country.

As a document of the 1970s, “McCall” captures a moment before the town’s later rise as one of Idaho’s premier vacation and second-home destinations. Its information would have supported land management, recreation planning, development decisions, and everyday navigation at a time when McCall was expanding beyond its earlier logging and lakeside roots. The map’s value lies not only in what it shows, but in how it shows change in potential: shorelines ready for visitors, roads reaching into forested terrain, parkland formalized for public enjoyment, and a mountain community increasingly oriented toward tourism. It is a refined, data-rich view of a place whose natural setting has always been central to its identity.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• McCall
• Payette Lake
• Little Payette Lake
• Long Valley
• Ponderosa State Park
• Cascade Lake
• Fish Creek
• Goose Creek
• Campbell Creek
• North Fork Payette River
• South Fork Payette River
• Various unnamed trails and roads

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map.
• Dated 1973, with a 1977 imprint.
• Published by the US Geological Survey, known for reliable scientific mapping, geological data, and topographical surveys.
• Shows an area significant for recreation, including boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities.
• Uses contour lines and shading to depict elevation changes and terrain features.
• Illustrates diverse topography, including hills, valleys, waterways, and lake basins.
• Reflects 1970s geographical knowledge, land-use planning, and recreational development in the McCall area.
• Documents a period before later population growth and tourism expansion further shaped McCall’s role as a destination.

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 16x20in (40x50cm) 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.