2020 Map of Essex

About this map

Essex sits at the southwestern gateway to the high peaks of the northern Rockies, positioned where the Middle Fork Flathead River carves through the deep gap of John F Stevens Canyon. This terrain is defined by the meeting of Glacier National Park to the north and the Flathead National Forest to the south. The mountain corridor serves as a critical transportation artery, hosting US Highway 2 as it winds toward Theodore Roosevelt Pass. High-elevation landmarks such as Scalplock Mtn, Snowslip Mtn, and Running Rabbit Mtn overlook a network of drainages including Ole Creek and the Fielding area. The map illustrates how human movement is strictly channeled by the sharp topography of the canyon floor, with most infrastructure clinging to the narrow riverbanks below the massive slopes of Mt Shields and Soldier Mtn.