2017 Map of Elk Basin NW

About this map

Elk Basin sits at the northern edge of Park County, where the high desert terrain of the Bighorn Basin meets the Montana border. This landscape is defined by the significant geological depressions and landforms that have long influenced regional movement and industry, most notably the broad plateau of Polecat Bench in the southeast. The drainage of Silver Tip Creek carves through the basin to the north, while the winding course of Big Sand Coulee cuts across the western portion of the quadrangle. These natural features dictated the early transportation routes, including Rd 1 N G, which provides access into the heart of the basin's complex topography. The map illustrates the stark physical transition between the elevated bench lands and the deep coulees that characterize this corner of northern Wyoming.