2024 Map of Horseshoe Lake

About this map

Sumner anchors the western edge of this landscape in Phillips County, where the high plains are deeply incised by a series of drainage features known locally as coulees. The terrain is defined by the winding paths of Woody Island Coulee, Cowie Coulee, and Gloyn Coulee, which create a complex network of ridges and draws characteristic of the Montana badlands. In the northeast, the eponymous Horseshoe Lake provides a rare permanent water feature in an otherwise arid environment. This USGS survey highlights the sparse but critical transportation network of the modern era, showing how routes like Sunnyslope Rd and Turner Cutacross Rd navigate the township and range boundaries of t36n r28e and t35n r28e. The map illustrates a ranching landscape where development is concentrated along these few reliable roads while the rest of the land remains shaped by the natural erosion of Alkali Coulee.