2017 Map of Snedaker Basin

About this map

The Helena National Forest encompasses this high-altitude landscape where three Montana counties—Meagher, Lewis and Clark, and Broadwater—meet. This 2017 survey reveals a terrain defined by dramatic vertical relief and complex drainage patterns, where steep ridgelines like Elk Ridge separate high basins from deep canyons. The central Snedaker Divide acts as a topographical spine, shedding water into distinct catchments such as the Snedaker Basin and Jim Ball Basin. Notable landmarks such as Vigilante Gulch and Hanging Valley suggest a geologic history carved by water and ice. Access to this remote wilderness is maintained through a network of forest routes, including Sunshine Basin Rd and Magpie Gulch Rd, which follow the natural contours of the land toward lower elevations like Trout Creek Canyon.