Loading map...

2011 Map of Hessler Ridge

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Hessler Ridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

The Missouri River carves the northern boundary of this Fergus County landscape, defining the fertile riverbanks of Gardipee Bottoms and Bell Bottoms. Inland from the river, the topography is shaped by a series of named drainages and elevations, including Hessler Ridge and Galhand Ridge. This section of central Montana is characterized by its drainage network, where Armells Creek and Sand Creek cut through the terrain, the latter punctuated by small-scale water management features like Cope Dam and Jakes Reservoir.

Logistics in this sparsely settled region are centered around the Sand Creek Wildlife Station Airport, providing a critical access point for wildlife management and land monitoring. Transport routes are limited to utilitarian paths like Ridge Rd and the Sand Creek Trl, which navigate the various coulees and gulches. The naming of features such as Musselman Coulee, Downer Coulee, and White Coulee reflects the traditional terminology for the deep, dry ravines typical of this high-plains environment.