1980 Map of Cactus Creek West

About this map

The Little Missouri River meanders across the southeastern corner of this corner of Montana, creating a complex series of oxbows and bends that dominate the local drainage. Surveyed in the early 1970s, this landscape in Carter County is defined by its watercourses, including Cottonwood Creek in the north and the namesake Cactus Creek flowing through the central interior. A notable river crossing, simply labeled Ford, provides evidence of historical land use and early ranching-era travel patterns before more permanent infrastructure reached this stretch of the river. The topography is further marked by several seasonal streams such as Elkhorn Creek, Blacktail Creek, and Mud Creek. These features, along with bench marks like Bm 3263 and Bm 3272, offer precise reference points for researchers interested in the geographic evolution of the northern plains and the Carter County hinterlands.