1963 Map of Regnal Coulee

About this map

The high plains of eastern Montana are defined by the intricate drainage systems of Big Breed Creek and Beaverhalt Creek as they weave through the landscape of the early 1960s. This USGS survey highlights the complex topography of the region, where the boundary between Garfield Co and Rosebud Co cuts across a network of coulees and breaks. The 1980 revision of this map introduces updates from 1978 aerial photography, showing the evolution of the land use in this ranching country. Landform features like Regnal Coulee, Diego Coulee, and the curiously named Studhorse Coulee demonstrate the erosional patterns of the local watershed. While the area is largely undeveloped, the presence of isolated infrastructure such as a Well and Drill Hole points to the subsurface exploration and water management critical to this arid environment.