2014 Map of Austin

About this map

Helena National Forest lands dominate the southwestern portion of this Lewis and Clark County quadrangle, where a complex network of gulches and ridges defines the terrain. Prominent landmarks such as War Eagle Hill, Dreadnaught Hill, and Stemwinder Hill rise above the drainage systems of Silver Cr and Sevenmile Cr. The map documents the spatial relationship between smaller settlements like Austin and Birdseye and the expanding residential footprints of Helena Valley Northwest and Helena West Side. Cultural history is noted at the Silver City Cem along the northern edge of the sheet. The landscape is a mix of protected wilderness and developing rural communities, with numerous family-named features like Switzer Joe Gulch and East China Gulch hinting at the area's prospecting or homesteading past.