2020 Map of Smoky Butte Creek

About this map

Smoky Butte Creek and the headwaters of the Big Dry Creek system define this section of the Garfield County landscape. This remote ranching country is accessed primarily by unpaved routes such as Lone Tree Rd and Steve's Fork Rd, which traverse a terrain characterized by intermittent drainage networks. The map details the convergence of several small tributaries, including N Fork Lone Tree Creek and Lone Tree Creek, alongside the curiously named Steve Forks. These features illustrate the sparse but essential water resources that have historically dictated land use and property boundaries in this part of eastern Montana. The prevalence of named ephemeral creeks highlights the geographic significance of even the smallest seasonal flows in an otherwise arid environment.