1962 Map of Beartooth Mountain

About this map

Holter Lake dominates this rugged portion of the Missouri River corridor north of Helena, where the water carves through the dramatic limestone cliffs of the Gates of the Rocky Mountains. This 1962 field check documents a landscape defined by protected wilderness and remote access points, including the Oxbow Landing Strip and Ming Bar Landing Strip. The presence of the State Game Management Area and the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness illustrates a mid-century commitment to preserving the corridor's primitive character. Local habitation is sparse, centered on sites like Beartooth Ranch and the Indian Trail Lodge, while the river itself winds through the sharp Oxbow Bend before entering the narrow Meriwether Canyon. The map preserves the transition from managed state lands to the wilder reaches of the Helena National Forest.