2024 Map of Ellis Canyon

About this map

The Helena National Forest dominates this section of the Dry Range, where the steep drainages of Ellis Canyon and its forks feed the northward-flowing Smith River. This 2024 map details a landscape managed for resource protection and grazing, evidenced by the distribution of water sources like Winning Corral Spring, Den Gulch Spring, and Weston Spring. Human infrastructure is sparse, characterized primarily by ranching and forest management features such as Ashford Tank and the network of forest access routes. The presence of Haystack Bar and the transition from the high canyons to the Beaver Creek valley illustrates the complex topography of Meagher County's mountain-and-basin country. These modern surveys provide critical context for understanding how the public lands of Montana remain tied to the essential locations of springs and creeks like Freeman Creek and Rock Creek.