2018 Map of Rawhide Buttes West

About this map

The Wildcat Hills and the prominent rising peaks of the Rawhide Buttes dominate this high plains landscape along the boundary of Niobrara and Goshen counties. This 2018 survey reveals a terrain defined by dramatic vertical relief, where water sources like Muskrat Spring and Twin Springs were vital for life in an otherwise arid environment. The map details a complex system of drainage and erosion, including Deadman Canyon, Muskrat Canyon, and Little Wildcat Canyon. Transportation across this topography is limited to rural routes like Silver Springs Rd and Rawhide Butte Rd, which navigate the gaps between formations such as Mid Rawhide Butte and Flattop Butte. The nomenclature reflects a heritage of early western navigation, tracing the draws and canyons that carve through the high plateaus of eastern Wyoming.