2015 Map of Castle Rock

About this map

Castle Rock stands as the defining geological landmark in this part of western Kansas, where the chalk spires of the Smoky Hill River valley have long served as a beacon for travelers. This 2015 U.S. Geological Survey representation of the high plains landscape captures the intricate drainage patterns of the Hackberry Cr and Big Windy Cr systems, which have carved through the soft sedimentary layers over millennia. The map details the transition from the Gove County uplands down toward the river's path, tracing the course of Sand Cr and the rural network of Castle Rock Rd and other county routes that follow the section lines of the Public Land Survey System. The boundary between Gove and Trego counties runs north to south, marking a administrative divide in this sparsely settled region of the central plains.