2020 Map of Bean Lake

About this map

Bean Lake lies at the center of this Montana landscape, where the prairie begins to meet the rising elevations of the Rocky Mountain Front. The Dearborn River winds through the southern half of the quadrangle, crossed by the Dearborn River High Bridge, a notable landmark for those navigating the transition between the plains and the forest. A significant portion of the southwestern corner is protected as part of the Lewis & Clark National Forest, anchored by the prominent heights of Table Mtn. This area is characterized by its complex water management system, including the Dearborn Canal, Carmichael Ditch, and Cuniff Ditch, which reflect the region's agricultural reliance on redirected water. Named basins such as Harrison Basin, Joslin Basin, and Cuniff Basin indicate a topography of natural depressions and valleys that have long shaped local land use and grazing patterns.