Silver Bow County centers on the Butte urban area in southwestern Montana, surrounded by mountain ridges, creek valleys, and a long southern extension toward the Big Hole River. The general map places Butte-Silver Bow (balance) and Walkerville in the northeast, while a major road corridor continues south toward Melrose. The terrain-and-water map adds Silver Bow Creek, Blacktail Creek, Basin Creek, Yankee Doodle Creek, South Fork Reservoir, and Big Hole River as the clearest natural references. Elevation varies dramatically from broad lower basins to ridges above 3,000 meters. High-resolution JPG versions of the maps are available together in the download ZIP below.
The official City and County of Butte-Silver Bow website explains that one consolidated local government serves the City of Butte and Silver Bow County. That arrangement matches the map’s strong focus on the Butte urban area. A useful way to understand the county is to begin with Butte-Silver Bow and Walkerville, follow Silver Bow Creek and the surrounding tributaries, and then move south into the less settled mountain and river country.
Table of Contents
Butte-Silver Bow and Walkerville anchor the northeastern urban area
On the general county map, Butte-Silver Bow (balance) is the largest settlement label and the Butte-Silver Bow County Courthouse appears in the same urban cluster. Walkerville lies immediately to the north, while several major roads converge through and around the city area before continuing toward the county’s southern and eastern sections.
The Montana Technological label appears south of central Butte. Outside the county boundary, Gregson and Wise River provide western references, Whitehall lies to the east, and Silver Star appears southeast. Melrose is shown near the southern approach.
Those surrounding labels help orient the county but should not be treated as internal Silver Bow County settlements unless they fall inside the boundary shown on the map. The map is intended for geographic reference rather than live traffic conditions, so current construction, winter restrictions, and mountain-road access should be checked separately.
The city map ranks Butte-Silver Bow and Walkerville
The city map contains two ranked places. Its CITY INDEX lists Butte-Silver Bow (balance) at 35,052 and Walkerville at 733. These figures are values 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.
Butte-Silver Bow occupies the northeastern urban basin, with Walkerville immediately north. Surrounding county labels include Deer Lodge County, Jefferson County, Beaverhead County, and Madison County, which helps place Silver Bow County within a mountainous part of southwestern Montana.
No connector line or mileage label is printed between the two ranked cities. The visual spacing should therefore be treated only as a location reference, not as straight-line distance or road mileage. Actual travel should be checked with the general county map and current navigation information.
Silver Bow Creek and Blacktail Creek shape the Butte basin
Silver Bow Creek is one of the strongest water references across the northern and central county. It passes through the broader Butte basin and receives many short mountain tributaries, creating a lower corridor through otherwise rugged terrain.
Blacktail Creek and Basin Creek occupy the eastern and southeastern side of the Butte area. Yankee Doodle Creek and Gallatin Creek appear farther north. Together these streams divide the mountain slopes around the urban basin into numerous narrow drainages.
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.
South Fork Reservoir and Divide Creek organize the southwestern mountains
South Fork Reservoir is one of the clearest named water bodies in the southwestern interior. South Fork Divide Creek and Divide Creek connect through the same mountain basin, while Jerry Creek provides another drainage farther west.
North Fork Divide Creek and Tucker Creek appear east of the reservoir, and Moose Creek crosses the lower southern interior toward the southeast. Big Hole River forms the strongest water reference near the southwestern boundary, while Fish Creek is labeled in the county’s long southeastern extension.
Unlike the Butte urban area, the southern half of the county has few major settlement labels. Streams, reservoir features, and ridge lines therefore become the most useful references for locating different parts of the mountain interior.
Elevation ranges from about 1,355 to 3,113 meters
The elevation map reports an actual Silver Bow County range of about 1,355 to 3,113 meters, with a mean elevation near 1,962 meters. The Butte basin and several southern river corridors appear in green, while western and south-central ridges rise sharply through yellow, brown, and dark brown.
Some of the highest terrain is concentrated across the west-central and south-central county, with additional high ridges along the northern and northeastern margins. The contrast is strong because the urban basin sits well below the surrounding mountain crests.
Lower corridors also appear along portions of the southeastern extension and near the southern and southwestern river 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.
Butte and Silver Bow Creek provide a simple framework
A practical way to read Silver Bow County is to begin with Butte-Silver Bow and Walkerville in the northeast. Follow the main road corridor south toward Melrose, then use surrounding references such as Gregson, Wise River, Whitehall, and Silver Star only to orient the county boundary.
Water features provide the next layer. Silver Bow Creek organizes the northern basin, Blacktail and Basin creeks help with the Butte side, and South Fork Reservoir with the Divide Creek system explains the southwestern mountains. Moose Creek and Big Hole River provide the strongest southern references.
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 stream and road details. Because these are static reference maps, current road access, stream conditions, and seasonal restrictions should be checked through current official information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the city map show a distance between Butte-Silver Bow and Walkerville?
No. The city map shows the locations and CITY INDEX values for Butte-Silver Bow and Walkerville but does not print a connector line, straight-line distance, or road mileage between them.
Where is the highest terrain in Silver Bow County?
The elevation map shows especially high terrain across the west-central and south-central mountains, with additional high ridges along the north and northeast. The Butte basin and several river valleys are lower.
Can the 1,355–3,113 meter elevation range be used for a property or engineering project?
No. The range is a county-wide reference for comparing lower basins and river valleys with surrounding mountain ridges. 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 Silver Bow 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
Local government information is available from the official City and County of Butte-Silver Bow website and its Government page, which explains that the consolidated government serves the City of Butte and Silver Bow County.
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.
