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2017 Map of Hat Rock

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Hat Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Hat Rock and Ship Rock stand as prominent markers in this section of Niobrara County, where the high plains terrain is defined by a network of seasonal watercourses and drainage draws. The landscape is oriented around Old Woman Cr and Cottonwood Cr, which carve through the territory alongside numerous named valleys like Timber Draw, Hay Draw, and Petts Draw. These features represent the characteristic topography of eastern Wyoming, where reliable water sources such as Darnell Springs were historically vital for livestock and early travel.

Local transportation is limited to a sparse grid of rural routes, including Geisinger Rd and Petz Rd. These roads skirt the section lines established by the Public Land Survey System, which remains the primary organizational framework for this ranching country. The absence of dense settlement highlights the enduring rural nature of the region into the twenty-first century, preserving the land-use patterns of the early homesteading era.