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1955 Map of Wildcat Draw

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Wildcat Draw
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Gallatin National Forest and Custer National Forest divide this landscape where the Sweet Grass Co Stillwater Co boundary line cuts through high Montana country. In the mid-1950s, the area was largely defined by water sources and rudimentary access, characterized by numerous springs such as Wildcat Spring No 1 and the poetically named September Morn Spring. Human presence is sparse, marked primarily by isolated structures like Yates Cabin and Hookum Cow Cabin, which likely served as seasonal ranching or forest management outposts.

A network of Jeep Trails and Pack Trails provided the primary means of navigating the complex drainage systems of Wildcat Draw and Trout Creek. The detailed topography from 1951 aerial photography captures the intricate network of gulches and draws, including Ehwortzel Draw and Winger Draw, which feed into the larger creek systems. These labels provide a clear view of the region's hydrography and the limited, practical infrastructure used by those working the land.