2017 Map of Jack Straw Basin

About this map

The Montana-Wyoming border cuts vertically through this high-elevation landscape, where the northern reaches of Yellowstone National Park meet the Gallatin National Forest. The map is dominated by a complex system of plateaus and basins, most notably the Madison Plateau and the Moose Creek Plateau, which frame the central depression of Jack Straw Basin. The drainage patterns here are distinct, with water collecting in small high-altitude features like Frog Pond and Big Bear Lake or carving through deep recesses such as Echo Canyon, Meadow Canyon, and Dry Canyon. This terrain illustrates the transition from the broad Madison Valley to the rugged volcanic tablelands that define this section of the Rocky Mountains. The absence of roads and permanent settlements underscores the protected, wild nature of this borderland during the early 21st century.