2014 Map of Swede Ridge

About this map

Fort Peck Lake and the Missouri River dominate this 2014 survey of the Big Sky country where Valley, Phillips, and Garfield Counties meet. The landscape is defined by its drainage patterns, with numerous coulees—deep ravines or gulches—cutting through the elevated terrain of Swede Ridge and Blue Ridge. The branching network of names like Hell Hole Coulee, Cart Trail Coulee, and Doney Coulee reveals the hydraulic erosion that has shaped this part of the Missouri Breaks. Infrastructure is sparse, primarily consisting of the Swede Ridge Rd and Larb Hills Rd, which provide access through the complex topography of Iron Stake Ridge. This map captures the remote character of the northern Montana prairie as it transitions into the large water bodies created by the Missouri’s impoundment.