2020 Map of Three Buttes

About this map

Three Buttes rises as the central topographic feature of this Missouri River landscape, where the border of Roosevelt and Richland counties follows the winding river channel. The northern reach of the map is defined by the Missouri River, crossed only by the Culbertson-Missouri River Bridge as the waterway bends eastward. This 2020 survey illustrates a sparsely settled but deeply carved terrain of drainage systems and coulees, including Elm Coulee, Shaw Coulee, and Goodman Coulee, which cut through the high plains toward the river basin. The map tracks a network of county roads, such as Co RD 146 and Co RD 338, that navigate the intricate system of ridges and seasonal watercourses like Cherry Cr and Day Cr. These features demonstrate the enduring rural character of northeastern Montana, where land use is dictated by the rugged breaks leading down to the Missouri River.