2024 Map of Skunk Coulee

About this map

Fort Peck Lake dominates this Montana landscape, where the waters of the Missouri River meet the complex topography of the Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge. The map details the transition from the high, arid breaks of Second Ridge and Third Ridge down to the water's edge. This region, straddling the border of Garfield and Valley counties, reflects a rugged geography where deep incisions like Skunk Coulee and Third Coulee define the drainage patterns leading toward the Missouri. Human presence is concentrated along a few named routes, including the curiously named Millionaire Mile and Poverty Ridge Rd, which suggest the area's local history and ranching heritage. The north is characterized by ephemeral drainages such as Mud Creek and the North Fork Duck Creek, which cut through the high plains before descending into the reservoir system.