1950 Map of Spanish Peaks

About this map

The Madison Range dominates this mid-century survey, defining the high-altitude divide between the Gallatin National Forest and Beaverhead National Forest. This era of the landscape is marked by a network of isolated homesteads and wilderness outposts, including the Spanish Creek Ranch and Crail Ranch to the south. The mapping, compiled for the Bureau of Reclamation as part of the Missouri River Basin development, highlights the hydrological complexity of the peaks. A dense cluster of alpine water bodies like Lake Solitude, Thompson Lake, and Big Brother Lake feed the headwaters of Cherry Creek and the South Fork Cherry Creek. Notable landmarks such as the Andesite Lookout Tower and Spanish Creek Ranger Station reflect the federal oversight of these timberlands and watersheds during the late 1940s and early 1950s.