1964 Map of Butterfly Butte

About this map

Butterfly Butte and Kettle Butte dominate this Idaho landscape, rising above a vast field of basalt in the Snake River Plain. This 1964 survey, with 1979 revisions, reveals a terrain defined by volcanic activity, most notably the extensive Lava flows that cover the southwestern portion of the quadrangle. The geometry of the land is broken only by the straight line of U.S. 26, which cuts across the high desert floor toward the landmark Seventeenmile Cave. Unlike more settled regions, the map is nearly devoid of structures, instead highlighting the utility of the land through numerous scattered wells, indicating a reliance on groundwater in this arid environment. The presence of several drains further illustrates the management of water across the undulating basaltic surface between the prominent volcanic buttes.