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2021 Map of McKenzie Butte

Name: 2021 Topographic Map of McKenzie Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2021
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2021

About this map

Custer National Forest lands dominate this corner of Harding County, where a rugged series of buttes and canyons define the West River landscape. The map centers on the high ground of the South Cave Hills, a topographic relief marked by deep cuts like Timber Canyon and Holdup Canyon. This terrain dictated early travel and settlement patterns, with roads like Co Hwy 797 and Rasmus Rd winding around prominent landmarks such as McKenzie Butte and Sheep Mtn.

For local historians and genealogists, the Cave Hills Lutheran Cem represents a key point of community heritage in an otherwise sparsely populated ranching area. Water access was clearly vital for livestock and survival in this arid environment, as evidenced by the density of named water sources including McKenzie Spring, John Brown Spring Number One, and Johnson Spring scattered throughout the gulches.