2020 Map of Blacktail Creek NW

About this map

The Powder River shapes the western edge of this landscape on the border of Carter and Custer counties. This high-plains terrain is defined by an intricate network of seasonal drainage systems, where Blacktail Cr and its northern counterpart, Little Blacktail Cr, carve through the topography toward the main river valley. Further north, the course of Alkali Cr marks the divide between these expansive ranchland townships. The map illustrates a strictly rural Montana environment, where the land is organized by the Public Land Survey System into townships t3n r54e and t2n r54e, reflecting a traditional western grid of ownership and management. While largely devoid of named settlements, the proximity of Nichols Cr to the river indicates the type of natural water sources that have historically dictated human activity in this arid region.