Loading map...

1973 Map of Smith Coulee

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Smith Coulee
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Etchart Cow Camp sits at the base of the Larb Hills in this early 1970s survey of Valley County, Montana. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of drainage channels including Smith Coulee, Cut Throat Coulee, and Shotgun Coulee, which carve through the high plains. This remote ranching country relies heavily on a system of named water sources and ridges to navigate the terrain.

Evidence of local navigation and land use is preserved through features like the Square Creek Trail and various Jeep Trails that connect family-named landmarks. Several critical water points for livestock and travelers are documented, such as Barth Spring, Kline Spring, and Fisher Spring, illustrating how essential these specific groundwater locations were to the viability of high-plains grazing operations during this era.