Loading map...

2017 Map of Shell

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Shell
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Shell sits at the eastern edge of the Big Horn Basin, where the high desert terrain meets the rising slopes of the Bighorn National Forest. This 2017 survey details a landscape defined by water management and the transition from mountain foothills to agricultural lowlands. The complex irrigation network is evident through features like the Shell Canal, High Line Ditch, and Whaley-Ditch, which divert water from Shell Cr to support the local ranching economy.

Genealogists and local historians can locate early burial sites at Whaley Cem and Shell Cem, or trace rural landmarks like Flitners Corner. The map also captures the topography of the drainage systems, including Red Gulch and Douglas Draw, alongside the Ewen Pence Gulch Reservoir. The persistence of these water rights and family-named ditches underscores the enduring agricultural character of this Wyoming valley.