1960 Map of Cottonwood SW

About this map

Badlands National Monument defines the southern half of this South Dakota landscape, where the deeply eroded terrain meets the rolling prairie. At the northern edge of this geological transition lies Cactus Flats, serving as a gateway point near the intersection of major roads and the ridge of Big Foot Hill. The map documents a landscape of dramatic elevation changes and sparse water sources, primarily defined by the drainage of Big Buffalo Creek and Rake Creek. A localized industrial footprint is visible at the Gravel Pit near the center of the sheet, while the southern reaches include Cedar Pass, a significant natural corridor through the badlands formations. The network of unimproved roads and a Jeep Trail suggests a rugged, sparsely populated environment in the early 1960s, primarily managed for conservation and limited transit between Interior and the surrounding plains.