Big Muddy Badlands

The Big Muddy Badlands are a series of badlands in southern Saskatchewan and northern Montana along Big Muddy Creek. They are found in the Big Muddy Valley, a cleft of erosion and sandstone along Big Muddy Creek. The valley is 55 kilometres (34 mi) long, 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) wide and 160 metres (520 ft) deep.[1] The valley was formed when it was part of an ancient glacial meltwater channel that carried great quantities of water southeastward during the last ice age.[2]

Panorama of Castle Butte
Big Muddy Badlands
Castle Butte
LocationSouthern Saskatchewan and northern Montana
Coordinates49.217569°N 105.219069°W / 49.217569; -105.219069
Part ofBig Muddy Valley
Length55km
Width3.2km
Depth160m
Formed byBig Muddy Creek
GeologyBadlands
AgeLast ice age

In the nineteenth and early twentieth century the Badlands formed the northern end of the "Outlaw Trail", a series of trails and stopping areas utilized by outlaws in the American West spanning from Canada to Mexico. Outlaws such as Henry Borne and his brother Coyote Pete, Sam Kelly, the Pigeon Toed Kid, and the notorious Sundance Kid turned up in the area.[3][4] Today ranching and tourism are important in the sparsely populated area.

19 kilometres (12 mi) south of Bengough on Highway 34 is Castle Butte, a 70-metre-high (230 ft) outcrop of sandstone and compressed clay which protrudes from the flat prairie.[5][1]

NWMP Post in the Big Muddy Badlands circa 1902

References
  1. Yanko, Dave. "The Badlands". Virtual Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
  2. Harel, Claude-Jean (2006). "Big Muddy Valley". Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Great Plains Research Center. Archived from the original on 2009-06-19. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
  3. Black, D. Grant (May 23, 2007). "Hot on the trail in outlaw territory". The Globe and Mail. CTVglobemedia. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
  4. Yanko, Dave. "Outlaw Rule". Virtual Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
  5. Granger, Marcel (May 26, 2005). "Big Muddy". Retrieved 2010-05-11.
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