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1956 Map of Emerald Lake

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Emerald Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The Fishtail Plateau dominates this high-altitude landscape where the Custer National Forest meets the protected Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. At the base of these heights, ranching life is marked by the Bedford Ranch and the Hash Ranch, while the presence of the Bedford School (Abandoned) suggests a time when local families supported a rural schoolhouse in the valley.

Water management for the lowlands is evidenced by the Rickman Kennedy Ditch, which redirects flows from the West Fishtail Creek drainage. Recreational activity is concentrated around Emerald Lake and West Rosebud Lake in the south, where both the Emerald Lake Campground and Pine Grove Campground provide access to the lakes and the steep mountain trails leading into the wilderness. The terrain is defined by complex water systems, including Fiddler Creek and the remote Lily Pad Lake.