2014 Map of Charcoal Gulch

About this map

Lewis & Clark National Forest encompasses the majority of this landscape in Meagher County, defined by a dense network of drainages and named gulches. The terrain rises toward Smoky Mtn in the northeast and Butler Hill in the southwest, with US Hwy 89 providing the primary transit corridor through the western sections. The nomenclature of the area reflects a history of local exploration and perhaps small-scale mining or homesteading, evidenced by names like Chinaman Gulch, Albright Gulch, and Thornquist Gulch. Water is central to the geography here, with Newlan Cr and Lake Cr feeding into more isolated features such as Crater Lake and Charcoal Spring. This 2014 survey documents a modern snapshot of a region still defined by its forest boundaries and the natural topography of the Big Belt Mountains area.