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2011 Map of Swede Ridge

Name: 2011 Topographic Map of Swede Ridge
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2011
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2011

About this map

Fort Peck Lake dominates this landscape in Valley County, where the Missouri River's impoundment creates a complex, branching shoreline. The terrain is characterized by a series of high ridges and deep drainages, or coulees, that draw toward the water. Significant landforms like Swede Ridge and Blue Ridge rise above the surrounding breaks, while Iron Stake Ridge sits further south along the western shore.

The intricate network of seasonal waterways including Mc Kay Coulee, Armstrong Coulee, and Wilson Coulee illustrates the erosional patterns common to the Montana High Plains. These coulees serve as primary landmarks in an area where the primary human footprint is defined by 4WD trails and remote roads, such as the one passing near Cart Trail Coulee. This survey captures the remote character of the Missouri River breaks before modern development altered these traditional grazing lands.