2024 Map of Blue Buttes SE

About this map

Little Missouri National Grassland encompasses a significant portion of this landscape, revealing a complex network of drainage systems and high-plains topography. The drainage patterns are dominated by Handy Water Creek and Bear Den Creek, which cut through the terrain alongside Foreman Coulee and multiple branches of Dry Creek. These watercourses have sculpted the earth around prominent elevations like Aura Butte and the namesake Blue Buttes in the northwestern sector. The map illustrates a contemporary grid of section lines and county infrastructure, including Co Rte 14 and Co Rte 57, which provide access to this ranching and conservation country. The presence of these named physical features alongside modern Bureau of Indian Affairs and county roads highlights the continued importance of land management and resource access in McKenzie County.