Grant County lies in central Arkansas, where Sheridan anchors the road network while the Saline River winds along the western side of the county. The terrain is noticeably higher across the north-central and northeastern uplands, then drops toward the river valley and the southern boundary. This page shows county boundaries and roads, city connections from Sheridan, named rivers and lakes, and an elevation range of about 46 to 152 meters. You can download the same four maps as high-resolution JPG files in one ZIP for printing or close viewing.
Sheridan is the county seat. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas identifies Grant County as a central Arkansas county and lists Sheridan as its administrative center. On the general map, Sheridan sits slightly east of the county’s middle near U.S. 167, U.S. 270, and Highway 35. Tull, Poyen, Prattsville, and Leola are all west or southwest of the hub, while the eastern half has fewer large labeled communities. That uneven settlement pattern makes Sheridan a useful starting point for understanding the whole county.
Table of Contents
Roads spread from Sheridan toward the western towns and rural east
U.S. 167 is one of the clearest north-south routes near Sheridan, and U.S. 270 crosses the central part of the county from west to east. Highway 35 leaves Sheridan toward the south. Farther west, roads connect Prattsville and Poyen, Highway 291 reaches the Tull area in the northwest, and Highways 46, 222, and 229 appear near Leola in the southwest. Highway 190 crosses the southeastern side, and Route 530 is visible near the northeastern edge. Following these routes outward from Sheridan gives a quick picture of how the populated west connects with the larger rural eastern half.
The shape of the road network changes with the landscape. East and southeast of Sheridan, some routes run for longer stretches through relatively broad valleys and low ridges. In the western half, streams are more tightly packed and several roads bend around the Saline River drainage. Near Poyen and Prattsville, road lines and creek valleys repeatedly cross or run beside one another. The map therefore works best when roads are read together with the water network rather than as isolated lines.
Nearby county labels help with regional orientation. Saline County is to the north, Jefferson and Pulaski counties are on the eastern side, Dallas and Cleveland counties lie to the west, and Hot Spring County is toward the southwest. Much of the northern and eastern boundary consists of straighter segments, while the southern edge becomes more irregular. Because nearby roads and communities are also shown in a lighter style outside the boundary, the map makes it easier to place Grant County in relation to the Little Rock region without turning the page into a statewide map.
Prattsville is closest to Sheridan on the city-connections map
The city-connections map uses Sheridan as the hub and displays direct point-to-point distances to four other labeled communities. Prattsville is about 8 miles from Sheridan, while Tull, Poyen, and Leola are each shown at about 14 miles. These are straight-line distances, not road mileage. That distinction is important because travel routes may bend around creeks, river bottoms, and uneven terrain, especially toward the western side of Grant County.
The directions are as useful as the mileage. Prattsville lies directly west of Sheridan, with Poyen farther west near the county boundary. Tull is northwest in the small projection at the top-left side of the county, while Leola sits close to the southwestern edge. The four communities do not form a single corridor; they fan out across the west and southwest from Sheridan. That arrangement is why the city map is a good companion to the general road map.
The legend also includes numeric values next to the city names, but this article does not reinterpret those figures as current population estimates. The supplied map is being used for its labeled city hierarchy, direction, and straight-line connections. If current population totals are needed, a recent Census dataset should be checked separately. Keeping that distinction clear prevents a simplified city map from being mistaken for a demographic table.
The Saline River defines the western drainage
The Saline River is the dominant water feature in western Grant County. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas describes the river as flowing through Saline, Grant, Dallas, Cleveland, and other counties before eventually joining the Ouachita River. On the supplied terrain and water map, the Saline enters near the northwestern side, follows a winding course through the western half, and continues toward the southern boundary. Numerous smaller creeks from both sides feed into this corridor, making the west much denser with blue lines than a quick look at the road map might suggest.
East of the Saline, Lost Creek runs for a long distance from the north toward the center of the county. Hurricane Creek occupies another major north-south valley farther east, with Big Creek joining the same drainage. Simpson Creek is labeled in the northeast, while Derruisseaux Creek follows the southeastern side and White Oak Creek appears closer to the southern edge. These long, roughly parallel valleys are an important part of Grant County’s landscape because they separate many of the ridges visible on the elevation map.
Several small lakes provide useful landmarks in the western half. Tolar Lake and Moores Lake sit close to the Saline River, while Cox Creek Lake is farther southwest. Mud Creek and Brushy Creek are labeled nearby, Timber Creek appears toward the northwest, and Lake Kay is marked near the north-central area. None of these lakes dominates the county in the way a large reservoir would, but together they help show how surface water is distributed among the river bottoms and smaller valleys.
This map is intended for geographic reference rather than real-time water decisions. It does not provide current river stage, flood probability, fishing regulations, parcel boundaries, or safe private-land access. The Saline River and its tributaries can change with rainfall, so recreation or safety planning should rely on current information from USGS or the agency responsible for the specific waterway.
Elevation rises across the northern ridges and falls toward the south
The elevation map shows an actual countywide range of about 46 to 152 meters, with a mean near 79 meters. That is roughly 106 meters of relief from the lowest to the highest mapped ground. Brown and tan colors are concentrated across several north-central and northeastern ridges, while greener colors cover much of the southern part of the county and the Saline River valley. Grant County is not a high mountain county, but the ridge-and-valley contrast is clear at this local scale.
The higher ground does not appear as one isolated peak. Instead, elongated ridges repeat across the northern half, separated by narrow green valleys that extend southward. Lost Creek and Hurricane Creek line up with some of those lower corridors on the water map. In the west-central part of the county, the terrain drops toward the Saline River and forms a broader low zone. Comparing the two maps helps explain why the drainage network has so many long, north-south channels.
The elevation image is useful for county-scale comparison, not survey-grade measurement. The 46–152 meter range and mean of about 79 meters describe the broad surface shown on this map but should not be used as an exact height for a parcel, road, building, or bridge. Engineering, construction, drainage design, or property work requires original USGS 3D Elevation Program data or a professional survey.
Moving west from Sheridan reveals the strongest map contrast
A practical way to compare the four map views is to start in Sheridan and move west toward Prattsville and Poyen. Roads first lead through the central part of the county, then the Saline River and a denser network of smaller creeks become more important. Tolar Lake and Moores Lake appear near the river corridor, and the elevation map shifts toward lower green terrain in the same area. This single westward route connects settlement, roads, water, and elevation without requiring the reader to study each map in isolation.
Turning north or northeast from Sheridan produces a different picture. The terrain becomes more strongly ridged, and Hurricane Creek and its tributaries occupy narrow valleys between higher ground. Tull, in the northwest, sits close to the transition between the Saline River drainage and the northern uplands. The southeastern side is lower and more rural, with long roads and streams extending toward the boundary. These differences make direction more meaningful in Grant County than a simple list of map features.
Use the 2572 × 3638 JPG files for printing
The WebP images in the article are optimized for quick page viewing. The download ZIP contains the same four maps as high-resolution JPG files, each measuring 2572 × 3638 pixels in portrait orientation. The general map is best for roads and communities, the city-connections map for direction and straight-line distance from Sheridan, the terrain and water map for named rivers and lakes, and the elevation map for comparing the northern ridges with the lower river and southern valleys.
These files work well for classroom reference, presentations, trip preparation, personal printing, and general orientation. They should not replace legal boundary records, parcel surveys, flood studies, engineering plans, or live navigation. When exact or current information is required, check Census TIGER/Line boundaries, USGS hydrography, USGS elevation data, and the appropriate local or state source for the decision you are making.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the county seat of Grant County?
Sheridan is the county seat. It is shown slightly east of the county’s center near U.S. 167 and U.S. 270, with several roads branching toward Tull, Poyen, Prattsville, Leola, and the rural eastern side. Using Sheridan as the starting point makes the rest of the map easier to follow.
Are the 8-mile and 14-mile labels driving distances?
No. The city-connections map shows straight-line distances from Sheridan. Prattsville is about 8 miles away, while Tull, Poyen, and Leola are each shown at about 14 miles. Actual road mileage and travel time may be longer because routes bend around creeks, river bottoms, and uneven terrain.
Where does the Saline River run through Grant County?
The Saline River follows the western side of Grant County from the northwestern area toward the southern boundary. Tolar Lake and Moores Lake are labeled close to the river, and many smaller tributaries join it from the surrounding valleys. The elevation map also shows this river corridor as generally lower than the higher north-central ridges.
Map File Information
The ZIP contains the general county map, city-connections map, terrain and water map, and elevation map as high-resolution JPG files for printing or offline reference.
- File Type: ZIP containing 4 JPG files
Related Maps
Sources and references
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas – Grant County – county location, Sheridan, history, and local context
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas – Saline River – river route and its passage through Grant County
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles – county boundary and road data
- USGS National Hydrography – rivers, streams, and waterbody data
- USGS 3D Elevation Program – elevation and terrain data
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.
