1986 Map of Devils Hole Lake

About this map

The eastern slopes of the Little Snowy Mountains define this section of Musselshell County, where the high prairie begins its descent into a complex network of intermittent drainages. In the late 1970s and mid-1980s, this landscape was characterized by its conservation value and sparse settlement, anchored by the Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge in the northeast. The geography is dictated by water and topography, from the namesake Devils Hole Lake in the southwest to the winding paths of Whoop-up Creek and Willow Creek. Evidence of early cattle ranching or homesteading history is found in the isolated Cem and various wells scattered along Minerva Creek and Pole Creek, reflecting a reliance on groundwater and seasonal flows in this semi-arid environment.