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1968 Map of Granite Butte

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Granite Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

The Continental Divide winds through this high-altitude landscape within the Helena National Forest, marking the watershed between the Pacific and Atlantic drainages. High atop the ridgeline, the Granite Butte Lookout Tower stands near Granite Butte, overlooking a network of drainages including North Fork Marsh Creek and Pikes Gulch. The map captures a moment in the late 1960s where rugged mountain access is defined by primitive routes like the Gould Helmville Trail (Jeep Trail) and various Pack Trails.

Evidence of historical resource extraction is visible at the South Fork Mines and numerous unnamed Prospect sites scattered along the gulches. Local religious history is represented by the Queen of the Rosary Ch situated near the South Fork of Little Prickly Pear Creek, suggesting a small but established mountain community supported by mining and ranching. The presence of the Pilgeram Ditch in the northern reaches further illustrates the early engineering required to manage water in this steep Montana terrain.