1956 Map of Mackay Ranch

About this map

Mackay Ranch (Lazy El) and other established holdings anchor this mid-century look at the eastern edge of the Beartooth range. The landscape reflects a sophisticated ranching economy defined by an intricate network of irrigation systems, including the Peabody Canal, Phillips Ditch, and Miller Ditch, which redirect water from the Rosebud Creek drainage to the high benches. The transition from public to private land is starkly marked by the Forest Boundary, where the open range gives way to the protected heights of Custer National Forest and the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. A small oil well and a private landing strip near the ranch headquarters suggest the diversifying uses of these Montana lands during the 1950s. The topographic detail follows the steep rise toward Black Butte, overlooking the expansive Antelope Basin and the irrigation-dependent pastures of Coleman Bench.