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1997 Map of Howard Lake

Name: 1997 Topographic Map of Howard Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2000
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2000

About this map

Cabinet Mountains Wilderness defines the high-altitude character of this portion of Northwest Montana, where the boundary between the Kootenai National Forest and Kaniksu National Forest follows the jagged crest of the Cabinet Mountains. The map reveals a landscape heavily shaped by mineral exploration, with numerous lode sites such as the Midas Mine, Gloria Mine, and American Kootenai Mine concentrated near the upper reaches of Libby Creek and West Fisher Creek.

Lower elevations feature the Gold Panning Recreation Area, signaling the area's transition from active mining to contemporary recreational use. High-country hikers can trace the Libby Divide Trail and Wanless Lake Trail as they navigate between prominent peaks like Great Northern Mountain and Engle Peak. Alpine lakes, including Wanless Lake and Geiger Lakes, sit in glacial cirques below the Lincoln Co Sanders Co line.