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2020 Map of The Arch

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of The Arch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

The Arch stands as a prominent natural landmark in the central portion of this Montana survey, overlooking the drainage of Arch Coulee. The terrain here transitions from the open coulees and cattle range of Judith Basin County into the northern reaches of the Little Belt Mountains. Much of the southern half of the quadrangle is protected within the Lewis & Clark National Forest, where steep ridges like Peterson Mtn define the landscape.

Water sources are vital to this ranching country, evidenced by the intricate network of creeks including Big Otter Cr, Old Geyser Cr, and McCarthy Cr. The presence of named coulees such as Crow Coulee and Jackson Coulee reflects a long-standing local nomenclature for the geography used by stockmen. Roadways like Otter Creek Rd and McCarthy Crk Rd provide the primary access through these high-elevation pastures and timberlands.