2014 Map of Steele Lake Coulee

About this map

Steele Lake Coulee and its neighboring drainages define the high-plains geography at the border of Fergus and Chouteau counties. The landscape is characterized by a series of significant coulees, including Wilson Coulee, Fahlgren Coulee, and Engellant Coulee, which cut through the tableland towards the Arrow Creek valley. To the southeast, the terrain transitions into the flat expanse of Arrow Creek Bench. The pattern of early 21st-century land use is evident in the rectilinear grid of local roads, such as Range Rd and Red Barn Rd, which provide access to the remote sections of townships T20N, T21N, and T22N. This survey documents the complex system of ephemeral watercourses and named family-landmark coulees like Woodcock Coulee and Cut Bank Coulee that have long influenced ranching and navigation in this section of central Montana.