Big Stone County lies along Minnesota’s western edge, where Ortonville sits beside the long Big Stone Lake valley and smaller communities such as Graceville, Clinton, Beardsley, Odessa, and Johnson are spread across broad agricultural land. The western lake corridor and the Minnesota River lowlands contrast with higher interior hills, while numerous small lakes and creeks break up the farmland. The county’s unusual boundary shape makes the road, water, and elevation maps especially useful when viewed together. High-resolution map files are available for download in the section below.
This page combines a general county map, a six-city ranking index, a water map, and an elevation map with an actual range of roughly 250 to 366 meters. High-resolution A3 JPG originals for all four maps are available together in one ZIP for printing, classroom use, trip preparation, and side-by-side geographic comparison.
Table of Contents
Ortonville, Graceville, and the county’s main road corridors
Ortonville is the clearest reference point on the general county map. US-12 leaves the city toward the east, while US-75 provides a major north–south route near the southwestern part of the county. MN-7 continues across the southern side through the Odessa and Correll area, linking the river lowlands with communities farther east.
Across the north, MN-28 runs from the Beardsley side through Graceville toward Johnson. A north–south route from the Graceville area reaches Clinton and continues toward the Ortonville side, creating a second important framework for placing the northern and central communities. The main roads therefore form distinct northern and southern corridors rather than one dense county-wide grid.
Beardsley sits near the northwestern edge and Johnson near the northeast, while Odessa and Correll are close to the southern boundary. The wide spacing between these communities makes the county feel very different from a metropolitan area. Much of the map between town labels consists of agricultural roads, small waterways, and open rural land.
The county outline is also distinctive. The western boundary follows the Big Stone Lake valley on a long diagonal, the southern edge bends with the Minnesota River country, and the eastern side includes a large step in the boundary. Seeing that shape first makes it easier to understand the positions of Ortonville, Graceville, Clinton, and the southeastern towns.
Six ranked communities with Ortonville first
The city index ranks six selected communities. Ortonville is number 1 with a printed value of 2,028, followed by Graceville at 564, Clinton at 281, Beardsley at 229, Odessa at 87, and Johnson at 20. These values are reproduced from the supplied city-index graphic and are not presented here as newly calculated population estimates.
Their locations emphasize the county’s dispersed settlement pattern. Ortonville lies in the southwest, Graceville in the north-central area, and Clinton farther south. Beardsley occupies the northwest, Johnson the northeastern edge, and Odessa the southern boundary. Even the larger selected towns are separated by wide rural areas rather than forming a continuous built-up corridor.
There are no connector lines or mileage labels on this city map. It is a ranking and location graphic rather than a distance chart. Use it to compare where the six selected communities sit within the county, then refer to the general road map or a current routing service when actual driving mileage or travel time is needed.
Big Stone Lake, the Minnesota River, and interior lakes
The dominant water feature along the western boundary is Big Stone Lake. Its name is not printed prominently on the supplied water layer, but the long narrow lake forms an unmistakable border feature. Minnesota DNR describes Big Stone Lake as about 26 miles long and as the source of the Minnesota River, directly linking the western lake basin with the river system that leaves the county toward the southeast.
Fish Creek enters the lake corridor from the northwest interior. East Toqua Lake and West Toqua Lake lie close together farther north, with Moonshine Lake and Lone Tree Lake to the east and southeast. These smaller waters show that the northern agricultural landscape contains many local basins even away from the large border lake.
The central county includes Lysing Lake, Munnwyler Lake, Bentsen Lake, and Otrey Lake. Small streams and wet channels connect the surrounding low ground, and Stoney Run extends southward through the central interior. Long Lake appears farther east, adding another named water body outside the Big Stone Lake corridor.
The southeastern edge is defined by the Minnesota River and Marsh Lake. This broad low-water setting also corresponds with the lowest colors on the elevation map. The relationship is especially clear when the western Big Stone Lake valley and southeastern river lowlands are viewed as parts of the same larger drainage system.
Big Stone Lake State Park provides a local recreation connection to this landscape. Minnesota DNR describes Meadowbrook, Overlook, and Bonanza areas with boating, fishing, hiking, prairie, woodland, and shoreline access. The park gives a real-world context for the long lake valley that dominates the county’s western side.
Use the water map for names, relative positions, and broad drainage relationships. It does not show flood probability, legal shoreline limits, navigation depth, parcel ownership, or current water conditions. Those questions require current products from the responsible public agency.
Elevation from 250 to 366 meters
The elevation map reports an actual range of about 250 to 366 meters and a mean near 334 meters. Greens represent lower terrain, while tan and brown colors mark higher ground. The Big Stone Lake valley is a long, narrow low corridor along the western edge, and the Minnesota River–Marsh Lake area in the southeast forms another broad low zone.
The north-central interior rises sharply above those water corridors. Broad brown hills occupy much of the upper middle of the county, and additional high terrain appears toward the east. The contrast with the western lake valley is strong enough that the county’s relief is easy to recognize even without reading individual elevation values.
Farther south, narrow stream valleys cut through the elevated interior and descend toward the Minnesota River. Stoney Run and other small channels follow lower green paths between tan uplands. The southeastern corner drops again into the broad lowlands around Marsh Lake and the river.
The county-wide difference is roughly 116 meters. That is modest compared with mountain terrain, but it clearly separates the lake and river valleys from the higher agricultural interior. This surface is intended for broad terrain comparison rather than survey-grade measurement; precise construction, drainage, engineering, or site work requires more detailed official elevation data and field verification.
How Ortonville, Graceville, and Clinton occupy different settings
Ortonville brings the road, water, and terrain layers together in the southwest. US-12 and US-75 provide major road references, Big Stone Lake lies directly beside the city, and the elevation map places the lake corridor in one of the county’s lowest settings. The city therefore works well as a starting point for understanding the western valley.
Graceville and Clinton occupy a more inland landscape. MN-28 anchors the northern road corridor, while Toqua Lakes, Moonshine Lake, Lone Tree Lake, and other smaller water bodies are scattered through the surrounding countryside. Elevation is generally higher than along Big Stone Lake, especially across the north-central hills.
The Odessa–Correll side drops back toward lower terrain. MN-7 follows the southern county, and the Minnesota River and Marsh Lake dominate the southeastern water setting. Comparing all four maps shows three clear environments within one small county: the Big Stone Lake valley, the higher northern and central interior, and the southeastern river lowlands.
The set works well for general county orientation, school assignments, local-history presentations, and trip preparation. It does not replace parcel records, zoning documents, flood-regulation products, legal surveys, or real-time transportation information, so specialized decisions should rely on current county, state, or federal sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which maps best show the difference between Ortonville and Graceville?
Start with the general county map to compare their positions, then check the elevation map. Ortonville sits beside the low Big Stone Lake valley, while Graceville is farther inland on generally higher terrain near the northern road corridor.
Are the city-index values current population estimates?
The values described here are the numbers printed in the supplied city-index graphic. For the latest population figures, use current U.S. Census Bureau or Big Stone County statistics rather than treating the map values as a new estimate.
Can the 250–366 meter elevation range be used for engineering or surveying?
No. The elevation layer is suitable for broad comparison of higher and lower terrain, but precise construction, drainage, engineering, or survey work requires more detailed official elevation data and field verification.
Map File Information
A ZIP containing the high-resolution A3 JPG originals for the Big Stone County map, city index, water map, and elevation map.
- Included Files: county map, city index map, water map, elevation map
- File Type: JPG
Related Maps
Sources and references
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles – official geographic files for county boundaries, roads, and place references.
- USGS National Hydrography – federal source for rivers, streams, lakes, and other hydrographic features.
- USGS 3D Elevation Program – official U.S. elevation and terrain data resources.
- Big Stone County official website – official county government, resident services, and local information.
- Minnesota DNR – Big Stone Lake State Park – official information about the lake, state park areas, shoreline access, and recreation.
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.
