Loading map...

2001 Map of Macdonald Pass

Name: 2001 Topographic Map of Macdonald Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2004
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2004

About this map

The Continental Divide zigzags across this high-elevation landscape, marking the hydrological crest between the Helena National Forest and the Helena Ranger District. The map captures the intersection of recreation and utility, featuring the Scenic National Recreation Trail alongside infrastructure like the Cromwell-Dixon Pipeline and multiple Communication Sites. Human activity is concentrated around MacDonald Pass, where Frontier Town and Forest Heights sit near the summit, while Priest Pass Road provides an alternative crossing to the north.

Industrial history is etched into the terrain through various open pit mines, mine shafts, and scattered prospects found in Bear Gulch and Rich Spur. These workings, together with the network of 4WD roads and trails like the Priest Pass Trail, indicate a landscape defined by extractive use and modern forest management. Water resources are inventoried via numerous springs feeding drainages such as Dog Creek and Tenmile Creek, with a gaging station monitoring the flow in the southeast corner.