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2021 Map of Rattlesnake Butte

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

USGS Topo · Published 2021

About this map

Rattlesnake Butte stands as a prominent elevation in this western South Dakota landscape, marking the high ground between winding drainage systems. This interior portion of Ziebach County is defined by the headwaters and intricate paths of Rattlesnake Cr and its eastern branch, E Rattlesnake Cr. These ephemeral watercourses carve deep, wandering patterns through the terrain, illustrating the gradual erosion of the plains. To the south, Mud Butte and Peaked Butte provide additional topographic landmarks that have likely served as navigational points for generations.

The map reflects the established Public Land Survey System grid, shown through township boundaries like t12n r18e and t11n r19e. The drainage of Red Coat Cr in the southwest corner further emphasizes the importance of water access in this sparsely populated region. This survey captures a classic Great Plains environment where the natural contour of the land and isolated buttes dictate the layout of roads and ranching boundaries.