2024 Map of Salmon Prairie

About this map

Salmon Prairie sits along the banks of the Swan River in a valley defined by the steep slopes of the Mission Range to the west. This landscape, dominated by the Flathead National Forest, illustrates a classic Montana mountain-and-meadow drainage pattern where high-elevation creeks like South Woodward Creek and Lion Creek feed into broader wetlands and basins. The presence of Natural Cemeteries east of the river and several named clearings such as Squeezer Meadow and Simmons Meadow point to the area's history of small-scale settlement and grazing. Access is defined by a network of forest roads and trails, including Piper Lake Trl and Shay Lake Rd, which connect the scattered lakes like Dry Lake and Van Lake to the main thoroughfare of Salmon Prairie Rd.