1960 Map of Wall SW

About this map

Badlands National Monument dominates this 1960 survey, revealing the striking topography of southwestern South Dakota before modern infrastructure reshaped the park's visitor access. The map details the sharp descent from the northern high ground at The Pinnacles down into the expansive Conata Basin. This transition is navigated via Dillon Pass, a critical geographic waypoint for travelers and early park rangers. The presence of Dillon Campground suggests the mid-century development of recreational facilities within the monument boundaries. To the east, the vertical relief is defined by the prominent Flat Butte and Castle Butte, while fine red dashed lines indicate fencelines and field boundaries that speak to the ranching history surrounding the federal lands in Pennington Co.