2014 Map of Wilson Valley

About this map

Wilson Valley defines the core of this landscape, a remote section of Cherry County characterized by a sparse network of prairie roads and scattered water bodies. The topography is dominated by the intricate depressions and rises typical of the Nebraska Sandhills, where drainage is limited to features such as the S Fork Plum Cr in the northeast and a series of distinct basins. These basins host several named lakes including Rat Lake, Skull Lake, and Little Skull Lake, which provide critical reference points in an otherwise repeating terrain of dunes and hollows. The 2014 survey by the U.S. Geological Survey captures the area in its contemporary state, showing the minimal human footprint of ranch roads and fenced boundaries that navigate the undulating ground between these isolated water sources.