2012 Map of Mud Buttes NW

About this map

Gilger Ranch and the McClure Ranch sit in the sparsely settled grasslands of northwestern South Dakota, where the economy remains rooted in large-scale ranching. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of drainage systems, including Watson Draw and several meandering creeks such as Lonetree Cr and S Indian Cr. These waterways carve subtle paths through the prairie, providing the essential water sources required for livestock in this semi-arid environment. Infrastructure is limited to a few arterial routes like Albion Rd and M D U Rd, which connect remote homesteads like the Mary Larson Ranch to the wider county. The arrangement of these family-named rangelands among the forks of Owl Cr and Big Cr illustrates the enduring cattle-ranching traditions of Butte County into the twenty-first century.