2024 Map of Carlson Coulee

About this map

Carlson Coulee and Alkali Springs Coulee carve through this landscape at the border of Liberty and Chouteau counties, defining a terrain of high plateaus and deep drainage channels. The map illustrates the sparsely settled ranching and dryland farming character of the region, where a geometric grid of section lines and gravel roads like Selma Rd and Broadhurst Rd provide the only infrastructure. The topography reveals the natural flow of water toward the south and east through Basin Coulee and Pondera Coulee, showing the literal contours of the high plains before they meet the Missouri River drainage system. It is a portrait of rural Montana where the land's utility is governed by the availability of water and the accessibility of isolated transport routes such as Dugout Rd.