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2023 Map of Turner Butte

Name: 2023 Topographic Map of Turner Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2023
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2023

About this map

Turner Butte and Butcher Butte dominate the landscape in this section of the Oregon high country, where the winding course of the John Day River carves through the southwestern corner of the quadrangle. The area is defined by its deep drainage systems, including the protected waters of the John Day Wild and Scenic River and the branching reaches of Rock Creek. These waterways have historically dictated the placement of roads like Lower Rock Creek Ln and Barnett Rd as they follow the natural contours of the breaks.

Local landmarks such as Diamond Butte and Shutler Flat provide orientation points for researchers of the Sherman and Gilliam County line. The distribution of family-named roads and remote canyons like Alkali Canyon and Scott Canyon illustrates a land use pattern typical of the region's ranching and agricultural heritage, where access is shaped by the steep transitions between flat uplands and narrow creek beds.