2011 Map of Melton Ranch

About this map

Melton Ranch and other family-held homesteads anchor this remote section of Lake County, where ranching life follows the natural irrigation of the Little Bitterroot River and its tributaries. The landscape is defined by the transition from the high point at Sonyok Mountain down through the dry drainage of Davenport Draw. Connectivity in this era is provided by primitive routes such as Whiskey Trl and Ferry Crossing Basin 3530, reflecting a geography where transportation is still dictated by the water courses. The presence of Anderson Ranch, Haynes Ranch, and Jennings Ranch illustrates a sparse but persistent settlement pattern oriented toward the fertile valley floor between Whiskey Creek and Pine Creek, just west of the Flathead River bend.