2011 Map of Lone Tree Creek

About this map

Lone Tree Creek and Cottonwood Creek dominate this corner of Carter County, Montana, carving a complex drainage network across the plains. The landscape is defined by the ephemeral flow of these waterways and the sparse infrastructure required for ranching and land management in the early 21st century. Named routes like Chimney Rock Rd and Sheep Mt Rd provide the primary access through this open country, tracing the natural contours of the land between the drainages. Far to the north, Hackberry Creek enters the frame, marking the divide between various grazing allotments. This survey illustrates the persistence of traditional land-use patterns, where a handful of maintained roads like Cottonwood Creek Rd serve as the vital arteries connecting isolated ranching outposts in the vast Montana rangeland.