2011 Map of West Butte

About this map

The international border between Canada and the United States marks the northern limit of this high-plains landscape, where the Sweetgrass Hills rise above the surrounding terrain. Central to the area is the prominent landform of West Butte, which serves as a landmark for a network of working ranches and extraction sites. Land use is defined by a combination of livestock operations like the Quarter Circle ZN Ranch and O'Loughlin Ranch, alongside a history of small-scale mining. Several workings, including the El Pina Mine, Deer Creek Mine, and Monroe Mine, are tucked into the drainages of Deer Creek and Simmons Creek. The drainage patterns are further modified by the Berthelote Dam to the south. Local transit relies on established routes such as Coal Mine Rd and Rte-389, which connect these remote outposts across a landscape carved by Kicking Horse Canyon and Pratt Canyon.