2014 Map of Chalk Buttes

About this map

Custer National Forest encompasses the high ground of Carter County in this 2014 survey, where the prominent Chalk Buttes and Trenk Pass dominate the northern landscape. This corner of Montana is defined by its water sources and drainage patterns, with numerous named springs such as Pete Spring, Foster Spring, Alstrom Spring, and Birch Spring supporting life in a dry environment. The terrain transitions from the high buttes down to the Blue Mud Hills in the south, channeled by seasonal waterways like Buffalo Cr and Schultz Cr. Human presence is marked by the remote Laird Ranch Airport, reflecting the region's vast ranching heritage and the necessity of private airfields in the rural West. The map traces the essential dirt roads, including Chalk Buttes Rd and Trenk Pass Rd, which provide the primary access through the forest and rugged drainage basins.