1954 Map of Pine Tree

About this map

The historical Bozeman Trail passes through this section of the Wyoming basin, as documented by the United States Atomic Energy Commission and the USGS in the mid-1950s. The landscape is defined by the ephemeral drainage systems of the South Prong Belle Fourche River and Ninemile Creek, where ranching operations such as the Van Gordon Ranch and Bozarth Ranch established themselves near reliable water sources like Pine Tree Spring. The tiny settlement of Pine Tree serves as a central point in this high plains environment, dominated by prominent landforms like Pine Tree Peak. Numerous windmills dot the terrain, signaling the vital importance of groundwater for the various homesteads and livestock operations like the Ninemile Ranch that navigate the draws and forks of Campbell County.