You can download four high-resolution JPG maps of Potter County in one ZIP file from this page. The maps use Gettysburg as the main road and city reference, then place Hoven, Lebanon, and Tolstoy across the northern and eastern parts of the county. They also show Little Cheyenne Creek, Steamboat Creek, Artichoke Creek, Okobojo Creek, and a strong elevation contrast between the low western water edge and the higher interior ridges.
Gettysburg sits slightly south of the county center and is the easiest place to start on the general map. Several numbered roads meet or pass nearby, including 112 to the west, 83 to the south, and 818 in the central corridor. Hoven is near the northern boundary, while Lebanon and Tolstoy provide eastern reference points. The road grid is relatively straight, but the waterways cut through it in a much more irregular pattern.
The elevation layer makes that difference clearer. Its legend reports an “Actual” range of about 487 to 678 meters and a mean near 589 meters. The western boundary and nearby creek valleys are shown in lower green colors, while broad higher terrain appears in the north-central and central interior. The south contains more moderate relief, so the county is better understood as a mix of low valleys and interior uplands than as one simple slope.
Table of Contents
Start with Gettysburg to organize roads and place names
The general county map is easiest to read from Gettysburg. Road 112 extends west from the Gettysburg area, road 83 runs south toward the county boundary, and road 818 is marked nearby in the central part of the map. Roads 486 and 104 provide additional references farther north and east. Once Gettysburg is located, the surrounding road network creates a practical framework for finding the smaller towns and creek valleys.
Road 20 is labeled along the northern side, with Hoven positioned near that boundary. Tolstoy is southeast of Hoven, and Lebanon lies farther south in the eastern interior. Additional road labels such as 47, 212, 485, and 487 appear on the east side. These numbers are useful geographic references, but the map is not a live traffic product and does not report current construction, closures, road conditions, or travel time.
The western county boundary is much more irregular than the straight eastern edge because it follows a large water margin. Numerous tributaries also cut into the western interior and reappear in the southeast. That pattern becomes more important on the water and elevation maps, where the low creek valleys contrast with broad ridges farther inland.
Gettysburg connects directly to Lebanon, Hoven, and Tolstoy
The city-connections map uses Gettysburg as the hub and draws direct lines to Lebanon, Hoven, and Tolstoy. Lebanon lies closest to Gettysburg on the east side, Hoven is near the northeastern boundary, and Tolstoy is farther east and slightly south of Hoven. The three directions make Gettysburg a useful center for comparing the settlement pattern across the eastern half of the county.
The CITY CONNECTIONS legend lists Gettysburg to Lebanon at about 10 miles, Gettysburg to Hoven at about 19 miles, and Gettysburg to Tolstoy at about 22 miles. These are straight-line distances between the mapped points, not driving distances along the road network. Actual road mileage can be longer and depends on the route used.
The CITY INDEX numbers identify the labeled places: Gettysburg is 1, Hoven is 2, Lebanon is 3, and Tolstoy is 4. Those numbers are not population ranks, travel priorities, or distance values. Use the mileage labels for direct geographic comparison and a current routing source when actual driving distance is needed.
Little Cheyenne Creek and Artichoke Creek mark long western and southern valleys
Little Cheyenne Creek is the clearest named water feature in the western interior. It bends toward the large water margin along the west side of the county, and Lake Hurley is labeled close to its lower reach. Steamboat Creek forms another valley to the northwest. Numerous smaller tributaries branch around both creeks, helping explain the tightly cut terrain near the western boundary.
Artichoke Creek creates a different long valley across the southern part of the county. It winds eastward through the lower interior and receives smaller tributaries along the way. Okobojo Creek is labeled in the southeast, where another dense set of short channels descends toward the county edge. The northeastern and east-central areas contain more scattered small water bodies and tributaries, giving the water map a different appearance from west to east.
This water layer is intended as a geographic reference for creek and lake names and positions. It does not show real-time flow, water depth, water quality, flood zones, or navigability, and a blue line should not be treated as a property or legal boundary. For current hydrographic source data, consult an authoritative dataset such as USGS National Hydrography.
The elevation legend spans about 487–678 m from western lowlands to interior ridges
The elevation map’s “Actual” line reports a range of about 487 to 678 meters with a mean near 589 meters. The western water edge and nearby creek valleys form the lowest continuous green areas. Moving inland, the surface rises quickly into yellow, tan, and brown terrain, with prominent high ridges in the north-central interior and another broad high area farther east.
The higher ground is broken by valleys rather than forming one flat plateau. Low channels cut through the north-central ridges, and the southern half returns to more moderate elevations in several places. Artichoke Creek and Okobojo Creek follow lower strips through the southern and southeastern terrain. Matching those low corridors to the water map makes the relationship between drainage and relief much easier to see.
The elevation colors are designed for broad county-scale comparison rather than site measurement. They cannot provide a survey-grade elevation for a road point, building site, field corner, or engineering location. When a precise value is required, use official DEM products such as the USGS 3D Elevation Program or an appropriate survey.
Compare Gettysburg and Lake Hurley to connect roads, creeks, and relief
Gettysburg works well as the main road and settlement reference, while Lake Hurley provides a useful western water reference. Gettysburg sits within the interior road network and closer to moderate terrain. Lake Hurley lies beside Little Cheyenne Creek in the lower western drainage area. Checking both locations on the elevation layer makes the rise from the western lowland into the county interior easier to understand.
Lebanon and Tolstoy provide another comparison farther east. Their surroundings do not touch the same large western water margin, but smaller tributaries and low channels remain visible across the eastern interior. Hoven, near the northern boundary, helps connect those eastern settlements with the higher north-central terrain. Following these names across the maps turns the road, water, and elevation information into one geographic picture rather than separate lists.
The WebP images in the article are optimized for screen viewing. The download archive contains the original JPG files for the general county map, city-connections map, terrain-and-water map, and elevation map. Each JPG is 3638 × 2572 pixels, making the originals more suitable for A3 printing, presentations, classroom materials, and closer inspection of labels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the 10, 19, and 22 mile labels from Gettysburg driving distances?
No. The city-connections map identifies them as straight-line distances from Gettysburg to Lebanon, Hoven, and Tolstoy. Actual road mileage can be longer because travel follows the road network rather than a direct line.
Which map best shows Little Cheyenne Creek and Artichoke Creek?
The terrain-and-water map is the clearest choice. Little Cheyenne Creek and Steamboat Creek are labeled in the west, Artichoke Creek crosses the south, and Okobojo Creek is labeled in the southeast.
Can the map-legend range of about 487–678 m be used as an exact property elevation?
No. Those values are the county-wide “Actual” range printed on the supplied elevation map, while the colored surface is intended for broad terrain comparison. Use official DEM or survey data when an exact elevation is required at a specific location.
Map File Information
The ZIP contains the original high-resolution JPG files for the Potter County general map, city-connections map, terrain and water map, and elevation map.
- Included Files: 4 JPG maps
- Printable Size: 3638 × 2572 px each
Related Maps
Sources and references
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles – official geographic source for county boundaries and base mapping data.
- USGS National Hydrography – official source for rivers, streams, lakes, and hydrographic data.
- USGS 3D Elevation Program – official source for elevation and DEM products.
- 2020 Census PL County Name API – Census API that can be used to verify Potter County and South Dakota identifiers.
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data.
These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
