1966 Map of Whale Buttes

About this map

Flathead National Forest covers much of this high-elevation Montana landscape, defined by the prominent heights of Whale Buttes and Center Mountain. In the mid-1960s, this area remained largely primitive, with a network of Pack Trails serving as the primary means of navigation through the steep drainages. The hydrology of the region is centered on numerous tributaries that feed into the larger river systems, including the westward-flowing Whale Creek and the southern Hay Creek. Smaller waterways like Moose Creek, Hawk Creek, and the South Fork Red Meadow Creek carve deep valleys through the timbered slopes. Evidence of human infrastructure is sparse, limited to a single Gravel Pit in the northeast and light-duty roads that give way to the more traditional pack routes, reflecting the region's role as a managed forest wilderness during this era.