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2017 Map of Steptoe

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

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Steptoe Butte rises as a prominent landmark in this section of the Palouse, a terrain defined by its rolling loess hills and fertile agricultural draws. The landscape is preserved in part by Steptoe Butte National Park, which overlooks a dense network of country roads named for local families and early settlers, such as JF Mc Croskey Rd, Shahan Rd, and Ripley Rd. This network links the small communities of Steptoe and Oakesdale with the low-lying Tennessee Flat.

Genealogists will find notable burial and settlement sites, including Bethel Cem located just north of the Steptoe townsite. The intricate drainage patterns of Thorn Cr, Cottonwood Cr, and Pleasant Valley Cr illustrate the hydraulic character of the region's wheat-growing country. Higher elevations like Steam Shovel Hill offer a distinct topographical contrast to the broad valleys and flats that dominate the southern half of the quadrangle.