1967 Map of Conleys Lake

About this map

The Powell County landscape near the northern end of the Deer Lodge Valley is defined by a sophisticated system of high-country water management and ranching operations during the late 1960s. Historical irrigation routes like China Ditch, Rock Creek Ditch, and Pauly Ditch underscore the region's reliance on diverting water from creeks to sustain remote operations like Spring Ranch and Williams and Tavenner Ranch. South of these draws, the terrain descends toward Conleys Lake and Kerns Lake, where the community infrastructure of Deer Lodge becomes more apparent. Features such as the Deer Lodge City and County Airport, the Hillcrest Cemetery, and the Filtration Plant near Tin Cup Lake show the intersection of natural resources and municipal development. The presence of the Mullan road and various jeep trails alongside a major Pipeline indicates the mid-century expansion of utility and transportation corridors through the gulches.