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2020 Map of Phillips Butte

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of Phillips Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

Custer National Forest lands dominate this portion of Powder River County, where the high-plains landscape is defined by a dense network of springs and man-made reservoirs. The terrain is marked by prominent elevations like Phillips Butte and Diamond Butte, which overlook a complex system of drainages including Elk Creek and Mason Prong. The high density of water features, such as Coal Mine Spring, Skull Springs, and Deadman Spring, suggests a landscape heavily utilized for livestock grazing and land management in a semi-arid climate.

Transportation through this part of Montana follows the natural contours of the land, with routes like the Sonnette-Sayle Rd and Taylor-15Mile Creek trail connecting disparate water sources. Notable collection points for runoff include Elk Creek Reservoir Number One and Basin Reservoir, which, along with family-named landmarks like Anderson Reservoir and Mason Reservoir, reveal the critical importance of water infrastructure in this corner of the state.