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2017 Map of Emerald Lake

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Emerald Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Custer National Forest encompasses this high-elevation landscape in Montana, where the terrain shifts dramatically between the Stillwater and Carbon County line. The map highlights a complex drainage system defined by the various forks of Fiddler Creek and the southern flow of West Rosebud Creek. High-altitude water bodies are a defining characteristic of this area, including the remote Crater Lake, Lily Pad Lake, and the larger Emerald Lake situated near the terminus of W Rosebud Rd.

Glacial and geological features dominate the eastern edge of the Beartooth Range, most notably the expansive Fishtail Plateau and the deep cut of Black Canyon. Primitive access routes like McDonald Basin Rd and S Fiddler Creek Rd provide the only land-based entries into these basins. This 2017 survey details the hydrologic network that feeds the Yellowstone River watershed, capturing a wilderness area defined more by its natural landmarks like McDonald Basin and Twin Lakes than by human settlement.