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1988 Map of Hilgard Peak

Name: 1988 Topographic Map of Hilgard Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1989
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1989

About this map

Lee Metcalf Wilderness defines this high-elevation landscape, where the Madison and Gallatin county lines meet along the dramatic crests of the Taylor Hilgard Range. The area is characterized by an exceptional density of alpine water bodies, including Cradle Lakes, Echo Lake, and the aptly named Blue Paradise Lake. This provisional survey captures the primitive character of the terrain just before the close of the 1980s, highlighting a network of narrow trails such as the Pack Trail that provide the only access through these protected lands.

Prominent summits like Hilgard Peak and Sentinel Peak tower over glacial basins, while drainage systems like Wolf Creek and Lightning Creek carry snowmelt away from the peaks. The map provides a detailed look at the hydrologic patterns of the region, from the clustered Little Pine Lakes to the isolated Dutchman Lake beneath Dutchman Peak, illustrating the remote and untouched nature of the Beaverhead National Forest and Gallatin National Forest boundary.