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2011 Map of Wild Horse Hill

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Wild Horse Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

Wild Horse Hill stands as the central topographic landmark in this sparsely populated region of Grant County, where the landscape is defined by a series of northwest-to-southeast trending basins and ridges. This 2011 survey illustrates the continued importance of ranching in the Nebraska Sandhills, marking numerous family-owned operations including the Arthur Dubs Ranch, Rudolph Dubs Ranch, Burgess Ranch, and Willey Ranch. These namesake ranching sites often correspond with the most fertile pockets of land found within the valleys.

Water is a critical feature in this arid environment, evidenced by Swede Lake and its surrounding drainage systems. These low-lying areas, such as Big Swede Valley, Little Swede Valley, and Van Nortwick Valley, emphasize the way land usage and settlement have historically followed natural depressions where moisture collects. The layout of S Ashby Rd and Dubs Ln provides a record of the primitive road network connecting these remote ranching outposts in the early 21st century.