1985 Map of Kirkendal Flat

About this map

Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge reaches into the northeast corner of this central Montana landscape, marking a transition into protected plains and breaks. The terrain is defined by a dense network of seasonal drainage patterns, where the plateau of Kirkendal Flat gives way to deep erosional features like Gordon Coulee and Kastner Coulee. These coulees feed into more established watercourses such as Dovetail Creek and Blood Creek in the south, while Drag Creek dominates the northern reaches. The land is largely undeveloped, with Dunn Ridge forming a prominent topographical spine above the winding coulees. This 1985 provisional survey captures the area just as aerial photography began to provide more precise mapping of its complex, corrugated surface, offering a detailed view of the water-carved geography in Petroleum County.