2011 Map of Banks

About this map

Lake Sakakawea and the Missouri River dominate the western and northern edges of this northern McKenzie County landscape, where the prairie meets the engineered waters of the mid-twentieth century. The settlement of Banks sits at a crossroads in the center of the sheet, surrounded by a high density of named ranching properties that speak to the long-standing agricultural lineage of the region. Local family history is etched into the terrain through landmarks like the C Wilson Ranch, M Wald Ranch, and the J Grantier Ranch. To the east, Tobacco Garden Creek meanders toward the reservoir, passing the Garden Valley Cemetery, a vital site for genealogical research in this sparsely populated stretch of the Badlands. Across the water to the northwest, the boundaries of Lewis and Clark State Park mark the transition from working ranch land to public recreation.