2011 Map of Barn Butte

About this map

The North Platte River winds through the northern portion of this Garden County landscape, shadowed by the Midland Overland Canal and the intermittent flow of Lost Creek. This region is defined by a series of prominent landforms and drainage systems that break the high plains, including McCuligan Butte and its namesake McCuligan Canyon. The area exhibits a high-desert character where topographic features like Barn Butte and Eagles Cliff serve as significant local landmarks. Below the breaks, a network of straight-line section roads, such as Road 181 and Road 40, organizes the agricultural and ranching parcels. The naming of Swede Canyon and Onstot Canyon reflects the heritage of the families who settled this corner of Nebraska, while Wild Horse Canyon speaks to the natural history of the Platte River valley.