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2021 Map of Pinnacle Rocks

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

USGS Topo · Published 2021

About this map

Thunder Basin National Grassland dominates this high plains landscape on the border of Converse and Niobrara counties. The terrain is defined by a complex network of ephemeral drainages and rocky outcrops, including the distinctive Pinnacle Rocks in the northeast corner and the prominent Miller Hills. This map documents a region where water sources like Esau Spring and Middle Cr were vital for the ranching operations that historically utilized these wide-open public lands.

Evidence of local land use is visible through the primitive road and trail system, such as Cow Creek Rd and the Cow Creek Buttes Trl, which navigate the elevation changes around the Cow Creek Buttes. Named topographic features like Rattlesnake Draw and Sawmill Draw provide specific geographic markers for genealogists and researchers tracing the history of open-range grazing and land management in the Powder River Basin area.