1968 Map of Ovando Mountain

About this map

McCabe Mountain and Ovando Mountain tower over this corner of the Lolo National Forest, where the high peaks give way to the broad alluvial expanse of Kleinschmidt Flat. This landscape is defined by the transition from steep timbered slopes to a ranching economy centered around the settlement of Ovando. The map documents the irrigation and water rights of the era through features like the Hoffland Lateral and numerous ditches that divert water from the North Fork Blackfoot River to sustain the valley floor. Researchers will find a network of historical agricultural life preserved here, from the Flat Sch and local Cem to family-held properties like Jacobsen Ranch and Murphy Ranch. These landholdings are connected by a system of rugged infrastructure, including the Murphy Jeep Trail and Day Falls Road, which provided vital access for both forest management and local ranch operations in the late 1960s.