1964 Map of Big Hawk Mountain

About this map

Flathead National Forest land dominates this 1964 survey, revealing a high-altitude wilderness characterized by steep ridges and glacial basins. The northern edge of the map captures the southern shoreline of the Hungry Horse Reservoir, a massive impoundment of the South Fork Flathead River that fundamentally altered the local drainage and access patterns after its completion. The terrain is marked by a series of prominent peaks, including Big Hawk Mountain and Three Eagles Mountain, which rise above a network of alpine basins holding small, isolated water bodies like Margaret Lake and Three Eagles Lakes. Access during this era was defined by a skeletal network of primitive routes, notably the Alpine Trail and various pack trails, which provided the only passage through the drainages of Wheeler Creek and Quintonkon Creek. The map also delineates the high-elevation boundary between Lake and Flathead counties, tracing the crest of the Swan Range through Mount Orvis Evans.