1974 Map of Burnt Fork Lake

About this map

The Bitterroot National Forest dominates this mid-1970s landscape, where the convergence of three national forests highlights the complexity of early federal land management in Montana. The high-altitude terrain is defined by the headwaters of the Bitterroot River and Burnt Fork, providing a detailed view of the drainage patterns before modern development altered these backcountry corridors. Remote water bodies like Burnt Lake, Kneaves Lake, and the Little Burnt Fork Lakes are reached by an extensive network of Pack Trails, emphasizing the area's history as a roadless wilderness. Notable landmarks such as Skalkaho Falls and Dome Shaped Mountain serve as essential navigational points for those tracing the historic boundaries between Granite and Ravalli counties. This topographic study captures a moment when the rugged interior was primarily used for conservation and primitive recreation, preserving the natural state of the Skalkaho Basin.