1950 Map of Monument Ridge

About this map

The Vigilante Experimental Range and Beaverhead National Forest dominate this high-elevation landscape in Madison and Beaverhead Counties. This mid-century survey records a working backcountry defined by seasonal livestock operations and federal management, featuring localized outposts such as Cottonwood Camp, Three Forks Cow Camp, and Reide Camp. The Gravelly Range Road provides the primary north-south spine for the region, navigating a complex terrain of summits including Black Butte, Cascade Mtn, and Lion Mountain. The headwaters of the Ruby River and Elk Creek carve through the deep basins, while the presence of the Black Butte Ranger Station and West Fork Ranger Station highlights the era's active forest administration. Evidence of past extraction appears in the form of a Mine (Inactive) located near the river basin, reflecting the area's history of mineral prospecting.