2014 Map of Elk Creek

About this map

The Beaverhead National Forest defines the topography of this Montana landscape, where a complex network of high-country drainage basins feeds into the larger regional river systems. Running through the heart of the area, the Bitterroot-Big Hole Rd and State Hwy 43 provide the primary transit corridors through these wooded slopes and valleys. The map documents a classic Western water distribution pattern, with numerous primary streams like Elk Creek, Tie Creek, and Joseph Creek carving out distinct drainages. Notable smaller tributaries including Sunshine Creek, Prairie Creek, and Shoofly Creek suggest a highly dissected terrain where the natural flow of water dictated early trail and road placement. This 2014 survey serves as a modern record of land management boundaries and hydrological features within the southwestern Montana wilderness.