1962 Map of Nelson

About this map

Helena National Forest dominates this mountain landscape in Lewis and Clark County, defined by its steep drainage systems and prominent peaks like Sacajawea Mountain and Sawtooth Mountain. The small settlement of Nelson serves as a human anchor in a terrain largely characterized by named gulches and high summits. Surveyed in the mid-1950s and field checked in 1962, the map shows a landscape organized around water and access, from the flowing Beaver Creek and Soup Creek to the high-elevation Pack Trail in the northern reaches. Evidence of utility and infrastructure is visible in the long Pipeline corridor and the Checkerboard Ranger Sta located near the eastern forest boundary. The nomenclature reflects a mix of natural landmarks like Devils Tower and family-named features such as Cochran Gulch and Fields Gulch, illustrating the era's local geography.