2011 Map of Cattle Gulch

About this map

The Big Hole River winds through the northern corner of this rugged Montana landscape, where cattle ranching and hard-rock mining have left a distinct spatial imprint. Evidence of the region’s industrial history is concentrated along Canyon Creek, most notably at the Canyon Creek Charcoal Kilns and the North Central Mine. These features, along with the Short Shift Mine and West Limb Mine, reflect a period of intensive resource extraction in the mountains near Glendale. Large tracts of grazing land are anchored by the Joyce Ranch and Siria Ranch, while topographic landmarks like Nez Perce Ridge and Cattle Gulch Ridge define the vertical relief. Isolated settlements such as Happy Camp and water sources like Cattle Gulch Lake provided essential hubs for early inhabitants moving through the canyons and gulches.