2015 Map of Iron Post Buttes

About this map

Iron Post Buttes rises above the sprawling waters of Lake Oahe in this South Dakota landscape along the Sully Co Stanley Co line. The terrain is defined by the winding inlets and fingers of the lake, where the submerged channel of the Missouri River once flowed freely. The small settlement of Mission Ridge sits on the western heights, connected to the surrounding range by Fort Bennett Rd, which traces a path toward the water. Numerous seasonal drainages, including Mission Cr, Agency Cr, and Sand Cr, carve deep coulees into the prairie before meeting the lake. This survey documents the intersection of high plains topography and the massive reservoir system that reshaped the Missouri River valley in the mid-20th century.