1997 Map of Skaar

About this map

The Little Missouri National Grassland dominates the eastern half of this landscape, where the Little Missouri River meets its North Fork and South Fork. This 1997 revision by the Forest Service captures a pocket of the Badlands along the border of North Dakota and Montana, defined by the erosion-carved drainage systems of Smith Creek, Poison Creek, and Deadman Creek. Small-scale ranching and mineral extraction characterize the human footprint here, centered around the settlement of Skaar and the Metcalf Ranch. In the southeast, a Scoria Pit indicates the local use of heat-fired clay for road surfacing, a common practice in this geological region. The map tracks a network of 4wd trails that cross the county lines of Wibaux, McKenzie, and Golden Valley, following the natural contours of the high plains.