Garfield County spreads across a large rural section of eastern Montana, with Jordan serving as the only ranked city on the supplied city map. Roads are widely spaced, so waterways and reservoirs become especially useful reference points once the map leaves the Jordan area. Big Dry Creek and Sand Creek cross the interior, the Musselshell River follows the western edge, and several named reservoirs break up the central and eastern landscape. The elevation map adds another strong contrast, with lower terrain in the northeast and higher uplands concentrated toward the southwest and south-central county. High-resolution JPG versions of the maps are available together in the download ZIP below.
The official Garfield County site places county offices in Jordan, which fits the map’s use of the town as the central settlement reference. Route 200 heads west from the Jordan area, Route 24 extends east, and several numbered local routes reach into the southern and northern interior. Beyond those roads, creek valleys provide the clearest way to understand a county where towns are sparse and distances between local landmarks are large.
Table of Contents
Jordan anchors a widely spaced network of rural roads
On the general county map, Jordan appears near the central part of Garfield County. Route 200 runs west through the Sand Springs Strip area toward Winnett, while Route 24 extends east. Routes 543 and 341 are labeled around the Jordan corridor, and Route 245 provides an additional reference in the northwest.
The southern half is reached by a different set of roads. Route 216 heads south from the central interior, while routes 59 and 462 appear in the southeast near Hillside. Haxby is labeled in the northeast. The result is a road map with long gaps between settlement labels and many miles of open rural country between numbered routes.
The static map is useful for regional orientation but does not show live construction, winter restrictions, or surface conditions on remote roads. Current transportation information should be checked before traveling into less accessible areas.
Jordan is the only ranked city on the supplied city map
The city map lists only one ranked place: Jordan. Its printed index shows a value of 321. That number is the value embedded in the supplied map and should not be treated as a guaranteed current population estimate. Current demographic figures should be checked through recent U.S. Census Bureau data.
Jordan’s location is useful because it sits close to the middle of the county rather than at an outer edge. Neighboring county labels—Phillips, Valley, McCone, Prairie, Custer, Rosebud, and Petroleum—provide additional regional context around the boundary.
Because there is only one ranked city, the map contains no city-to-city connector lines or mileage labels. Other parts of Garfield County are therefore easier to locate by combining Jordan with the general road map and the terrain-and-water map.
Big Dry Creek and Sand Creek form long interior valleys
The terrain-and-water map gives Big Dry Creek one of the strongest roles in the county’s interior. It follows a long drainage through the central area, while Sand Creek extends through the central-east. Numerous smaller tributaries feed both channels, revealing a landscape that is far more dissected than the road map alone suggests.
Wheatcroft Reservoir lies west of Big Dry Creek, Mc Krone Reservoir appears farther north, and Fork Reservoir and Fisher Reservoir sit on the eastern side. These named water bodies provide useful reference points in areas with few towns. They also make the central county easier to divide into recognizable subregions.
This terrain-and-water map is intended for geographic reference. It does not establish flood zones, water depth, property boundaries, water rights, navigation conditions, or safe crossing points. Field use should rely on current and purpose-specific official information.
Musselshell River and Box Elder Creek Bay mark opposite edges
The Musselshell River follows the western side of the county map. Calf Creek and South Fork Lodgepole Creek appear in the southwest, while Split Reservoir provides another named western landmark. The terrain here is more broken than the lower northeast, with short tributaries cutting into the higher uplands.
Near the northeastern boundary, Box Elder Creek Bay stands out as a separate water feature. The surrounding area contains many small tributaries and lies within the lower green terrain visible on the elevation map. Farther south, Fork Reservoir and Fisher Reservoir sit near additional drainage lines that descend toward the eastern side.
Little Dry Creek and Lone Tree Creek provide clear references in the southeast, and Birkrum Reservoir appears close to the southern boundary. Together these features show how different parts of Garfield County can be identified even when settlement names are scarce.
Elevation ranges from about 677 to 1,104 meters
The elevation map reports an actual county range of about 677 to 1,104 meters, with a mean elevation near 855 meters. The northeast and much of the eastern edge appear in green, indicating lower terrain. The central interior rises gradually, while the strongest brown uplands are concentrated in the southwest and south-central parts of the county.
A broad belt of higher terrain runs from the west-central area toward the southern boundary. Numerous small valleys cut into those uplands, especially where creeks descend toward the Musselshell side or toward the lower central drainage system. The contrast is clear even though Garfield County does not contain the high mountain relief found in western Montana.
Big Dry Creek, Sand Creek, Little Dry Creek, and other major channels remain visible as lower corridors on the elevation surface. Comparing the water and elevation maps therefore makes the drainage directions much easier to understand. The elevation map is suitable for county-wide comparison only and should not be used as survey-grade or engineering-grade data for a specific property.
Jordan plus the major drainages provide a simple mental map
A practical way to read Garfield County is to begin at Jordan and then add one major reference in each direction. Route 200 and the Musselshell River organize the west, Route 24 and the eastern reservoirs help with the east, and Route 216 leads into the southern interior. Big Dry Creek provides the strongest natural reference through the middle.
For finer detail, Wheatcroft Reservoir helps with the west-central area, Mc Krone Reservoir with the north-central interior, Fork and Fisher reservoirs with the east, and Box Elder Creek Bay with the northeast. Little Dry Creek and Lone Tree Creek are useful in the southeast. This approach works better than trying to memorize every small tributary at once.
The WebP images embedded in the article are convenient for quick viewing. The high-resolution JPG files in the ZIP are better for printing or enlarging smaller road, creek, and reservoir labels. Since these are static reference maps, current road conditions, reservoir levels, and land-access restrictions should be checked through current official sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Garfield County city map show only Jordan?
The supplied city map ranks major places, and Jordan is the only city shown for Garfield County. Because there is only one ranked city, there are no city-to-city connector lines or distance labels on this map.
Where is the highest terrain in Garfield County?
The elevation map places the highest concentration of uplands in the southwest and south-central portions of the county. The northeast and much of the eastern edge are generally lower.
Can the 677–1,104 meter elevation range be used for a property or engineering project?
No. The range is a county-wide reference for comparing lower creek valleys with higher uplands. Precise site elevations should come from an authoritative source such as the USGS 3D Elevation Program and, when necessary, a professional survey.
Map File Information
Download the Garfield County county, city, terrain-and-water, and elevation maps as high-resolution A3 JPG files.
- Included Files: county map, city map, terrain and water map, elevation map
- File Type: ZIP containing 4 JPG files
Related Maps
Sources and References
County government and local information are available from the official Garfield County website, and the Clerk & Recorder page provides courthouse information in Jordan. Boundary and road-reference data can be checked through U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles.
Hydrographic reference data are available from USGS National Hydrography, and elevation data can be checked through the USGS 3D Elevation Program.
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data. These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
