1973 Map of Willis Buttes

About this map

Willis Buttes and the high ridge of the Bonin Divide dominate this landscape in McCone County, Montana. The terrain is defined by a series of isolated rises and gaps, including Teton Butte, Big Butte, and Lions Pass, which suggest the traditional travel routes and natural boundaries of this high-plains environment. Water management is a central theme of the 1970s land use here, visible through numerous catchments such as Hell Gate Reservoir, Goose Island Reservoir, and Game Reservoir, along with isolated wells and springs like Ateas Springs. The presence of a Landing Strip near North Prong Shade Creek and family-named landmarks like Vanderhoof Hill and Twitchell Pass reflects a ranching economy where distance necessitated private aviation and clear geographical markers for navigating the drainage basins of South Fork Rock Creek.