Petroleum County covers a broad rural landscape in central Montana, with Winnett as the only ranked city and the clearest road reference. Route 200 crosses the county through Winnett, while Routes 79 and 244 extend north and south into much more sparsely settled country. The terrain-and-water map adds a stronger natural framework: Musselshell River follows the eastern edge, Box Elder Creek crosses the central-southern interior, and Dovetail, Crooked, and Flatwillow creeks divide other broad uplands. Several small lakes and reservoirs provide local landmarks where town names are scarce. High-resolution JPG versions of the maps are available together in the download ZIP below.
Petroleum County’s official Growth Policy identifies Winnett as both the county seat and the county’s only incorporated town. The same document describes the county as lying south and west of the confluence of the Musselshell and Missouri rivers. That makes the supplied maps easier to read: start with Winnett and Route 200, then use the Musselshell River boundary and the large creek valleys to organize the much wider rural landscape.
Table of Contents
Winnett is the main road reference
On the general county map, Winnett lies in the central part of the southern half. Route 200 runs east-west directly through the community and is the strongest continuous road on the map. Route 244 extends south from the Winnett area, while Route 79 provides a useful route into the northern county.
Route 87 appears near the southwestern boundary, and Route 500 provides another reference close to the southeastern edge. Numerous smaller roads branch through the central and eastern interior, but settlement labels remain sparse, making the major route numbers especially important for orientation.
Woods Place appears in the north, while Blakeslee is marked as a historical place farther west. Kelley is labeled near the southern boundary, and Flat Willow Colony appears beyond the county edge as an outside reference. The map is designed for geographic orientation rather than live road status, so current surface conditions and seasonal access should be checked separately.
Winnett is the only ranked city
The city map contains one ranked place: Winnett. Its CITY INDEX lists a value of 204. This figure is embedded in the supplied map and should not be treated as a guaranteed current population estimate. Current demographic totals should be checked through recent U.S. Census Bureau data.
Winnett sits in the central-southern part of Petroleum County. Surrounding labels include Phillips, Garfield, Rosebud, Musselshell, and Fergus counties, placing Petroleum County among several large rural counties in central and eastern Montana.
Because there is only one ranked city, the map contains no connector lines or mileage labels. No straight-line or driving distance should be inferred from the visual spacing. Actual trips should be checked on the general road map and with current navigation information.
Musselshell River defines much of the eastern edge
The terrain-and-water map gives Musselshell River the strongest role along the eastern side of Petroleum County. The river follows a winding north-south course close to the boundary and receives numerous tributaries descending from the central and southern uplands.
Box Elder Creek is one of the most prominent interior streams. It crosses the central-southern county and collects smaller channels before reaching lower terrain toward the Musselshell side. Mc Donald Creek and Elk Creek form separate valleys nearby, while Petrolia Lake provides a useful local landmark.
The terrain-and-water map is intended for geographic reference. It does not establish flood zones, water depth, parcel boundaries, water rights, navigation conditions, or safe stream crossings. Current field and water conditions should be checked through appropriate official sources.
Northern creeks and western lakes divide the open uplands
Dovetail Creek runs across the north-central county, while Crooked Creek occupies a broader drainage system farther north. Blood Creek follows another valley to the south of Dovetail Creek. In an area with few town labels, these waterways provide some of the best geographic references.
Wild Horse Lake appears in the west-central interior, with War Horse Lake and Little Bear Lake farther south. Fords Creek passes through the same general western area, helping distinguish a group of shallow basins and rolling uplands that are less obvious on the road map.
Farther south, Yellow Water Reservoir and Petrolia Lake provide additional landmarks. Flatwillow Creek crosses the southwestern edge and forms another long low corridor through otherwise higher rolling ground.
Elevation ranges from about 678 to 1,228 meters
The elevation map reports an actual Petroleum County range of about 678 to 1,228 meters, with a mean elevation near 900 meters. The eastern edge and northeastern drainage valleys appear in darker green, while yellow and brown uplands become more common toward the west and southwest.
The highest terrain is concentrated along the western and southwestern parts of the county, with additional ridges across the south-central interior. Winnett occupies a middle-elevation area rather than one of the highest zones, while Box Elder Creek and other streams follow lower green corridors between the uplands.
The northern county is moderately elevated overall but deeply cut by Crooked and Dovetail creek valleys. The elevation map is intended for county-wide comparison only and should not be used as survey-grade or engineering-grade data for a specific property.
Winnett and the Musselshell River provide a simple framework
A practical way to read Petroleum County is to begin with Winnett and Route 200. Route 79 explains the northern approach, Route 244 the southern interior, and Routes 87 and 500 help with the outer southwestern and southeastern edges.
Water features provide the next layer. Musselshell River organizes the east, Box Elder Creek the central-south, Dovetail and Crooked creeks the north, and Flatwillow Creek the southwest. Wild Horse, War Horse, Little Bear, and Petrolia lakes plus Yellow Water Reservoir provide smaller but useful landmarks.
The WebP images embedded in the article are convenient for quick browsing. The high-resolution JPG files in the ZIP are better for printing or enlarging small road, creek, lake, and reservoir labels. Because these are static reference maps, current road access and water conditions should be checked through current official information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Petroleum County city map show distances between cities?
No. Winnett is the only ranked city on the supplied city map, so there are no connector lines, straight-line distances, or road mileages to other cities.
Where is the highest terrain in Petroleum County?
The elevation map shows the highest rolling terrain mainly in the western and southwestern parts of the county. The eastern Musselshell River side and major creek valleys are lower.
Can the 678–1,228 meter elevation range be used for a property or engineering project?
No. The range is a county-wide reference for comparing lower river and 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 Petroleum 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 information is available from the official Petroleum County website. The Petroleum County Growth Policy identifies Winnett as the county seat and only incorporated town and describes the county as lying south and west of the Musselshell-Missouri confluence.
Boundary and road-reference data can be checked through U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles. Hydrographic data are available from USGS National Hydrography, and elevation data 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.
