Rosebud County stretches across southeastern Montana from broad rolling country north of the Yellowstone River to much higher terrain around Colstrip, Lame Deer, and the southern county. Forsyth is the clearest road and administrative reference near the central river corridor, where I-94 and U.S. 12 cross the county, while Route 39 heads south toward Colstrip. Farther south, U.S. 212 serves the Lame Deer area, and U.S. 59 appears along the eastern side. The terrain-and-water map adds Yellowstone River, Rosebud Creek, Little Porcupine Creek, South Sunday Creek, and several lakes and reservoirs. High-resolution JPG versions of the maps are available together in the download ZIP below.
Rosebud County’s official website notes that the county was established in 1901 and that the courthouse is in Forsyth. County material also lists communities including Colstrip, Lame Deer, Birney, Rosebud, and Ashland and describes much of the terrain as rolling with small hills. The supplied maps show a strong internal contrast: a low Yellowstone River corridor cuts across the middle, while the southern county rises into substantially higher uplands. Starting with Forsyth, Colstrip, Yellowstone River, and Rosebud Creek provides a simple way to understand the large county.
Table of Contents
Forsyth anchors the central road corridor
On the general county map, Forsyth sits close to the Yellowstone River and serves as the most useful central reference. I-94 crosses the county east-west, while U.S. 12 is also marked through the same broad central corridor. Route 39 branches south toward Colstrip, creating a clear connection between the river lowland and the higher southern interior.
Rosebud lies east of Forsyth along the same general corridor. Settlement labels and major transportation features are more concentrated around the Yellowstone River than in the broad northern uplands, where smaller roads and drainage lines become more useful for orientation.
South of Colstrip, Lame Deer and Birney provide additional place references, with U.S. 212 crossing the southern section. U.S. 59 appears along the eastern side of the county. The map is designed for geographic orientation rather than live travel conditions, so construction, winter restrictions, and unpaved-road status should be checked separately.
Colstrip and Forsyth are the two ranked cities
The city map ranks two places: Colstrip and Forsyth. Its CITY INDEX lists Colstrip at 2,101 and Forsyth at 1,728. These values are embedded in the supplied map and should not be treated as guaranteed current population estimates. Current demographic totals should be checked through recent U.S. Census Bureau data.
Forsyth lies close to the Yellowstone River in the central-northern section, while Colstrip is farther south in higher rolling terrain. Surrounding labels include Garfield, Powder River, Custer, Prairie, Yellowstone, Treasure, and Big Horn counties, showing Rosebud County’s position across a large part of southeastern Montana.
No connector line or mileage label is printed between Colstrip and Forsyth. Their visual spacing should therefore be treated only as a location reference, not as straight-line distance or road mileage. Actual travel should be checked on the general map and with current navigation information.
Yellowstone River forms the county’s main central lowland
Yellowstone River is the strongest water feature across central Rosebud County. It flows west-east through a broad low corridor and provides the clearest natural reference around the Forsyth and Rosebud area.
North of the river, Little Porcupine Creek descends through the central-northern county, while South Sunday Creek occupies another major drainage farther northeast. Rattlesnake Creek provides a western reference. Stellar Lake, Black Sea Reservoir, and Blacktail Reservoir are among the labeled water bodies that help distinguish sections of the broad northern uplands.
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 water and access conditions should be checked through appropriate official sources.
Rosebud Creek reaches deep into the southern uplands
South of Yellowstone River, Rosebud Creek becomes the dominant drainage reference. It extends through the Colstrip side of the county and continues far south, collecting numerous tributaries from the surrounding rolling and higher terrain.
Castle Rock Lake is labeled near Colstrip, while Barley Reservoir appears farther northeast. Thebes Lake and Zempell Lake provide additional landmarks north of the Yellowstone corridor. In a county with large rural sections and relatively few towns, these water bodies can be more useful than minor road names for local orientation.
Farther south, East Fork Armells Creek and many smaller tributaries occupy the higher uplands. Comparing the water map with the elevation map shows how these channels cut through ridges before descending toward larger river valleys.
Elevation ranges from about 735 to 1,460 meters
The elevation map reports an actual Rosebud County range of about 735 to 1,460 meters, with a mean elevation near 943 meters. Yellowstone River forms the broadest low corridor and appears in dark green, while rolling terrain rises gradually away from the central valley.
The highest ground is concentrated south and southwest of Colstrip. The official county website identifies the Little Wolf Mountains west of Colstrip as the county’s high point area, and the elevation map shows this southern block in brown and dark brown. Rosebud Creek remains visible as a lower green corridor through part of the high country.
Northern Rosebud County is generally lower than the southern uplands but is still dissected by numerous creek valleys and small ridges. Little Porcupine Creek and South Sunday Creek create lower channels through the rolling terrain. 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.
Forsyth, Colstrip, and the two major waterways provide a simple framework
A practical way to read Rosebud County is to begin with Forsyth and the central I-94 and U.S. 12 corridor. Follow Route 39 south to Colstrip, then use U.S. 212 around Lame Deer and U.S. 59 on the eastern side to organize the southern and eastern sections.
Water features provide the next layer. Yellowstone River divides the county through the center, Rosebud Creek explains much of the long southern interior, and Little Porcupine, South Sunday, and Rattlesnake creeks help organize the north. Castle Rock Lake, Stellar Lake, and the northern reservoirs add useful local 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, river levels, and seasonal restrictions should be checked through current official information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the city map show the distance between Colstrip and Forsyth?
No. The city map ranks and locates Colstrip and Forsyth but does not print a connector line, straight-line distance, or road mileage between them. Use the general county map and current navigation information for an actual trip.
Where is the highest terrain in Rosebud County?
The elevation map shows the highest terrain south and southwest of Colstrip, including the Little Wolf Mountains area identified by the county as the high point zone. The Yellowstone River corridor is much lower.
Can the 735–1,460 meter elevation range be used for a property or engineering project?
No. The range is a county-wide reference for comparing low river valleys with higher rolling and upland terrain. 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 Rosebud 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 background are available from the official Rosebud County website, which provides information on the county’s establishment, Forsyth courthouse, communities, and general topography. The county’s Resources page provides additional history of Forsyth and Colstrip and discusses the role of Yellowstone River, railroads, coal mining, and local development.
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.
