2015 Map of Wolf Lake

About this map

The Big Muddy River winds through the bottomlands of the Mississippi River floodplain, meeting the state boundary between Illinois and Missouri. This modern survey illustrates a landscape of intense water management, defined by an intricate network of levees and drainage projects like Running-Lake Ditch. Small settlements such as Aldridge, La Rue, and Halsey sit along the narrow corridor between the river and the dramatic rising bluffs of the Shawnee National Forest. To the east, the terrain shifts abruptly from the flat agricultural fields of Lambdins Field to the high ridges of the Pine Hills. Notable landmarks such as Preachers Eye and Government Rock overlook the oxbow waters of Wolf Lake, while river features like Tower Island Chute and Hanging Dog Island track the shifting nature of the river's historical course.