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2012 Map of Big Bend

Name: 2012 Topographic Map of Big Bend
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2012
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2012

About this map

Bayou des Glaises snakes across this low-lying landscape, defining the character of the settlements at Big Bend and Red Fish. The map illustrates a complex alluvial environment where old river channels and ridges dictate the placement of local infrastructure like Old Highway 1 and Hamburg RD. This area is dominated by significant water bodies, including the wide Horseshoe Lake and the fragmented waters of Sutton Lake and Belson Lake, which are separated by the subtle rise of Sutton Ridge.

The presence of the Atchafalaya River in the southeastern corner highlights the region's historical vulnerability and adaptation to the surrounding drainage systems, including Bayou Courville and Fish Bayou. Local life is tied to these waterways and the narrow corridors of land suitable for habitation, evidenced by the small clusters of development along the bayou banks and the network of local lanes like Pete Laborde RD and Natchitoches RD.