2024 Map of Hogback Mountain

About this map

Gates of the Mountains Wilderness and the Helena National Forest meet in this mountain landscape where the Missouri River drainage carves deep into the Big Belt range. The map reveals a complex network of high ridges and deep drainages, notably Refrigerator Canyon and Trout Creek Canyon. These geological features, alongside Hogback Mtn and Middleman Mtn, highlight the elevation changes that have historically defined access and transport in this part of Montana. Named gulches like Blacksmith Gulch, Vigilante Gulch, and Slaughter-Pen Gulch evoke the era of early prospecting and settlement. Land management is a central theme, shown through the boundaries between Lewis and Clark and Meagher Counties, while access to the back country is maintained via routes such as York Rd and the Beartrap Trl.