2020 Map of Elk Creek

About this map

Beaverhead National Forest defines the character of this high-altitude landscape in the Anaconda Range, where deep drainages and ridges shape the terrain of Beaverhead County. The map documents a sophisticated network of mountain hydrology, centered on the main stem of Elk Creek and its many tributaries, including Sunshine Creek and Joseph Creek. While largely a wilderness area, human passage is marked by the presence of the Bitterroot-Big Hole Rd and Tie Creek Rd, which provide access through the dense forest and across the divide. A curious point of modern precision is found at the 02S18W23ADDB01 Spring, an identified water source that hints at the detailed hydrological monitoring within the national forest. The layout of section lines and townships, such as t1s r18w, provides a structural grid over the otherwise fluid natural geography of Boulder Creek and May Creek.