2017 Map of Smoky Butte Creek

About this map

Lone Tree Creek and its many seasonal tributaries define the landscape of this Garfield County interior, where the high prairie is dissected by a network of drainage basins. The area is characterized by vast tracts of public and private rangeland, crisscrossed only by isolated routes like Lone Tree Rd and Steve's Fork Rd. These roads provide rare access to the remote sections of the high plains, connecting the headwaters of Smoky Butte Creek in the north to the Steve Forks and Big Dry Creek systems in the south. The survey reveals a sparse settlement pattern dominated by the township and range system, showing the resilience required for agricultural and ranching life in this part of Montana. For those tracing the geography of the Big Dry country, the map documents the critical water sources and primitive tracks that have facilitated land use for generations.