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1972 Map of Hellgate Gulch

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Hellgate Gulch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Helena National Forest encompasses the entirety of this 1970s terrain, revealing a landscape defined by an intricate network of drainage systems and primitive access routes. The map detail centers on the namesake Hellgate Gulch, which winds through the central territory alongside other family-named and evocative waterways like Kilgallon Gulch, Never Sweat Gulch, and Doolittle Gulch. These drainages served as the primary corridors for early exploration and extraction in the Big Belt Mountains.

Evidence of historical resource exploration is scattered throughout the drainages, particularly in the form of several unnamed prospects found near Goon Gulch and Cayuse Gulch. Movement through this high-country environment relied heavily on the numerous pack trails and jeep trails that navigate the ridges between Avalanche Creek and Sheriff Gulch. The survey provides an exacting look at the topographic character of the Missouri River Basin development area before modern infrastructure arrived.