Phelps County sits in south-central Missouri, where Rolla is the clearest road and settlement reference within a landscape of deeply cut Ozark hills. St. James lies to the east, Doolittle and Newburg to the west, and Edgar Springs far to the south. Interstate 44 crosses the northern part of the county through Rolla and St. James, while U.S. 63 runs south from Rolla toward Edgar Springs. Large river and creek valleys create strong elevation changes beyond the developed corridor. High-resolution map files are available for download in the section below.
This page separates those features into a general county map, a city distribution map, a terrain-and-water map, and an elevation map. High-resolution JPG originals of all four can be downloaded together in one ZIP for closer viewing, A3 printing, classroom work, reports, or other large-format reference use.
Table of Contents
Rolla anchors Interstate 44 and U.S. 63 through the county
Rolla sits slightly north of the county’s center and is the easiest place to begin reading the general map. Interstate 44 approaches from the Doolittle side, passes the Rolla urban area, and continues east toward St. James. U.S. 63 runs south from Rolla and provides the strongest road reference for reaching the long southern section of the county.
St. James forms the main eastern settlement reference along the Interstate 44 corridor. Route 8 and smaller roads extend from the area into the surrounding hills, while Route 72 appears near the southeastern edge. The road network becomes less dense away from Rolla and St. James as valleys and ridges take up more of the landscape.
Doolittle and Newburg provide two useful western references, but they occupy different positions. Doolittle is closely associated with the I-44 corridor, while Newburg lies farther southwest near major creek and river valleys. Their relationship shows why a simple east-west description of the western county would miss important terrain differences.
Edgar Springs stands far south of the other highlighted communities along the U.S. 63 corridor. Between Rolla and Edgar Springs, the map shows long stretches of rural terrain crossed by smaller roads and drainage lines. Starting with I-44 and U.S. 63 before moving to those local roads makes the county much easier to understand.
Five highlighted communities show a north-heavy settlement pattern
The city map highlights Rolla, St. James, Doolittle, Newburg, and Edgar Springs. Rolla ranks first and occupies the central-northern part of the county, with St. James second to the east. Doolittle and Newburg lie west and southwest of Rolla, while Edgar Springs is separated from the other four communities in the long southern section.
Doolittle ranks third, Newburg fourth, and Edgar Springs fifth in the map’s city index. The rankings are useful as a quick guide to the featured places, but their geographic positions matter more when reading the county. Rolla and St. James organize the I-44 corridor, while Edgar Springs identifies the U.S. 63 route through the southern hills.
Newburg is especially helpful for understanding the western river country because it lies near the Gasconade River and Little Piney Creek system. Doolittle, by contrast, is better associated with the developed road corridor west of Rolla. Those two western places demonstrate how quickly the landscape changes from highway-oriented settlement to narrow creek valleys.
The simplified city map removes most minor roads and stream names. Large areas that look relatively empty contain dense networks of valleys and tributaries on the terrain map. It is best used as an orientation layer before moving to the more detailed water and elevation views.
Gasconade and Big Piney rivers cut deep western valleys
The Gasconade River is the largest water feature along the western side of the terrain-and-water map. It forms broad bends near the county edge and occupies a noticeably lower corridor than the surrounding hills. Little Piney Creek runs through the interior nearby, creating another long valley that helps organize the western and central drainage.
The Big Piney River stands out in the southwest, close to the county boundary. Spring Creek and Mill Creek join the network in that area, while Corn Creek cuts through the southern interior. The combination of a large river and many tributaries gives the southwest a highly dissected appearance on both the terrain and elevation maps.
Farther east, Beaver Creek, Dry Fork, Little Dry Fork, and Meramec Creek occupy separate valleys. The map also labels small waterbodies such as Little Prairie Lake, Frisco Lake, Brays Lake, and Blues Pond. These features are minor compared with the rivers, but they provide useful landmarks among the dense stream network.
The terrain-and-water map is intended for geographic reference, not flood determination, water-depth analysis, navigation, parcel boundaries, or legal water boundaries. Stream levels and local conditions change over time, so current decisions should rely on appropriate official hydrologic or emergency-management sources.
Elevation ranges from about 192 to 411 meters
The elevation map reports an actual range of roughly 192 to 411 meters and a mean near 305 meters. The lowest dark greens follow the Gasconade River, Big Piney River, and other major creek valleys. In the west, river bottoms sit well below nearby ridges, producing some of the strongest local relief on the map.
Higher brown and dark tan terrain covers broad parts of the central, eastern, and southern county. Ridges rise east and south of Rolla, while the St. James side contains a dense pattern of uplands separated by tributary valleys. The narrow northeastern extension also alternates between high ground and lower stream corridors.
Around Edgar Springs, high uplands remain extensive, but green valleys cut through them toward the Big Piney River and Spring Creek systems. Little Piney Creek forms another long lower corridor through the center-west. Comparing the water and elevation maps makes it clear that many of the county’s roads and settlements occupy easier passages between steep ridge systems.
This county-scale elevation surface is useful for broad relief comparison, not for engineering, construction, drainage design, parcel-level elevation decisions, or survey-grade measurement. Site-specific work requires more detailed official elevation data or field surveying.
Choose the map by the question you need to answer
Start with the general county map when roads and settlement locations matter most. Rolla, Interstate 44, and U.S. 63 provide an immediate framework, after which St. James, Doolittle, Newburg, and Edgar Springs are easy to place. The city map is faster when you only need the relative distribution of the five highlighted communities.
For rivers and terrain, begin with the Gasconade River and Big Piney River, then compare Little Piney Creek, Dry Fork, and Meramec Creek. Moving to the elevation map afterward shows how those waterways occupy lower corridors between higher ridges and why the western valleys look so deeply cut.
Phelps County combines a developed highway corridor around Rolla and St. James with rugged Ozark terrain only a short distance away. The road map shows the connections between communities, while the water and elevation maps explain the steep valleys that shape travel through the rural county.
The downloadable JPG originals contain more pixels than the WebP previews embedded on the page, making them better for enlargement, A3 printing, classroom handouts, reports, and personal reference. They remain general-purpose maps, however. Legal boundaries, property ownership, live road restrictions, flood status, and precise site elevations should always be checked against the appropriate current official source.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which roads are the easiest references around Rolla?
Interstate 44 and U.S. 63 are the clearest references. I-44 connects the Doolittle, Rolla, and St. James corridor, while U.S. 63 runs south from Rolla toward Edgar Springs.
How much elevation change is shown across Phelps County?
The elevation map shows an actual range of about 192 to 411 meters with a mean near 305 meters. Major river and creek valleys are lowest, while broad central, eastern, and southern uplands reach much higher elevations.
Which waterways are the best starting points on the terrain map?
Start with the Gasconade River in the west and the Big Piney River in the southwest. Little Piney Creek, Dry Fork, and Meramec Creek then provide useful references for the central and eastern valley systems.
Map File Information
The download ZIP contains high-resolution JPG versions of the Phelps County general map, city map, terrain-and-water map, and elevation map.
- File Type: JPG
Related Maps
Sources and References
Boundary and road reference data are supported by U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line, water features by USGS National Hydrography, and elevation data by the USGS 3D Elevation Program. County government and visitor information centered in Rolla is available from the official Phelps County website.
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.
