1965 Map of Karsten Coulee

About this map

The Charles M Russell National Wildlife Range dominates the southern landscape of this mid-1960s survey, representing a significant conservation effort within the Missouri River Basin. The topography is defined by a series of erosion-carved drainages including Dry Fork Creek and the eponymous Karsten Coulee. These watercourses cut through the high plains, illustrating the drainage patterns that feed into the larger river systems of Phillips County. In the north, the broad and level expanse of Cruikshank Flat provides a stark contrast to the intricate coulee systems like Fourchette Creek and Beauchamp Creek to the south. This mapping project, a collaboration between the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies, highlights the transition from open flats to the broken terrain of the wildlife range, where smaller features like Dam Coulee and North Coulee mark the local hydrology.