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2024 Map of Upper Holter Lake

Name: 2024 Topographic Map of Upper Holter Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2024
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2024

About this map

The Missouri River carves a deep path through the canyonlands of Lewis and Clark County, forming the centerpiece of this contemporary topographic study. This reach of the river includes Upper Holter Lake and the small settlements of American Bar and Black Sandy Beach. The landscape is dominated by the steep terrain of the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness and the Helena National Forest, where high points like Sacajawea Mtn and Stony Point overlook a complex network of drainages including Meriwether Canyon and Picnic Canyon.

Human activity is concentrated along the riverbanks and in the flatter stretches of Hilger Valley. Modern access to the backcountry is provided by routes such as Gates of the Mountains Rd and the Missouri River Canyon Trl. In the southwest corner, the growing edge of Helena Valley Northeast contrasts with the protected wilderness to the north, illustrating the tension between residential development and the preservation of Montana's mountain environments.