2024 Map of Snedaker Basin

About this map

The Big Belt Mountains dominate this high-altitude landscape where Helena National Forest spans the junction of Meagher, Lewis and Clark, and Broadwater counties. The drainage patterns reflect a complex topography of ridges and basins, with waters from Rock Creek and Trout Creek carving deep paths through the terrain. Evidence of the region's mining and prospecting history is found in place names such as Vigilante Gulch, which sits adjacent to Hanging Valley. Transport through these mountains relies on specialized routes like Sunshine Basin Rd and Magpie Gulch Rd, connecting isolated depressions like Snedaker Basin and Sunshine Basin. The map captures a protected wilderness area defined by the Snedaker Divide and the steep walls of Bluegill Canyon, providing a clear record of the watershed and forest boundaries.