2020 Map of Saddle Butte

About this map

Fresno Reservoir and the Milk River dominate the northern terrain of this Hill County landscape, where the water is hemmed in by a complex network of erosional features. The terrain is defined by its coulees—steep-walled drainage valleys—including Watson Coulee, Cottonwood Coulee, and Wild Rose Coulee. These geographical signatures indicate a dry environment where seasonal runoff has carved deeply into the high plains over millennia. Centrally located, Saddle Butte rises as a prominent landmark above the surrounding flats. To the south, the Chain of Lakes and Alkali Lakes suggest internal drainage basins common to the northern glaciated plains, with labels like Dry Lake Coulee and Alkali Lakes Coulee pointing toward the mineral-heavy, ephemeral nature of the water sources in this part of Montana.