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2000 Map of The Sentinel

Name: 2000 Topographic Map of The Sentinel
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2005
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2005

About this map

Gallatin Petrified Forest anchors the southwestern portion of this high-elevation landscape, where the Bozeman Ranger District manages the rugged divide between Gallatin and Park counties. The topography is defined by the sharp verticality of peaks like The Sentinel and The Bear, with the latter overlooking the headwaters of Big Bear Creek. This wilderness area is a complex network of drainage basins, with Swan Creek and its southern fork carving through the north, while the various branches of Cottonwood Creek dominate the central terrain.

Windy Pass provides a crucial crossing point near the petrified forest, offering a passage through the steep ridgelines that separate these watersheds. The presence of Crater Lake and isolated reaches like Bark Cabin Creek and Smokey Creek illustrate a landscape largely untouched by permanent settlement, instead defined by the seasonal movements of the Gallatin National Forest and the natural flow of the Montana backcountry.