2020 Map of Cascade Colony

About this map

Cascade Colony stands as a focal point of communal living and agriculture in this section of Cascade County, where the plains of Central Montana meet prominent volcanic landforms. The landscape is defined by the striking profiles of Shaw Butte and Square Butte, which rise sharply above the surrounding drainages. Water management is central to the area's development, evidenced by the Fort Shaw Canal and the Russell Lateral supplying the northern fields, while the southern reaches transition into the broad Muddy Flats. A complex network of coulees, including Fjeld, Hanson, and O'Neil, carve into the terrain, channeling runoff toward larger water bodies like Little Muddy Cr and Saint Johns Cr. The map's road system, featuring routes like Birdtail Creek Rd and Shaw Cutoff Rd, reflects the rural connectivity required to maintain these isolated ranching and colony operations.