2017 Map of Blue Dome

About this map

Birch Creek Valley dominates this high-altitude landscape where the borders of Lemhi, Clark, and Butte counties converge. The drainage system is defined by the braided path of Birch Cr and the seasonal flow of Pass Cr, which carve through a network of rugged landforms such as Skull Canyon and Timber Canyon. Human settlement in this remote corridor is sparse, centered on the small locales of Blue Dome and Lone Pine. Cultural markers like the John Day Cem offer specific points of interest for genealogists tracing early families in the region. Much of the eastern portion of the map is protected within the Targhee National Forest, where topography rises sharply away from the valley floor. The placement of forest development roads, including Nat For Dev RD 172, suggests the ongoing importance of range and forest management in this sparsely populated interior of Idaho.