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2017 Map of Upper Holter Lake

Name: 2017 Topographic Map of Upper Holter Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2017
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2017

About this map

Upper Holter Lake and the winding Missouri River dominate this section of Lewis and Clark County, where the water cuts through dramatic vertical relief. The landscape is defined by a dense network of gulches and canyons, including Meriwether Canyon and Picnic Canyon in the north, which descend from the high ground of Sacajawea Mtn. Settlement is sparse and concentrated along the water and valley floors, with American Bar situated on a prominent bend of the river and Black Sandy Beach located near the southern boundary along Hauser Lake.

Transport through this complex terrain relies on established routes like Hilger Rd and Gates of the Mountains Rd, which navigate the relatively level Hilger Valley. Much of the eastern portion of the map falls within the Helena National Forest, illustrating the intersection of managed federal lands and the riparian corridor of the Missouri. This survey provides a clear view of the geographic bottlenecks and natural harbor-like bars that shaped movement and seasonal occupation in this part of Montana.