Published in 1960 using survey data collected in 1956, “Cooke City” is a richly detailed United States Geological Survey topographical portrait of one of Montana’s most dramatic mountain gateways. Centered on Cooke City and nearby Silver Gate, the map captures the rugged country north and east of Yellowstone National Park, where settlement, mining history, forest land, and alpine wilderness meet. At a scale of 1:62,500, it offers both regional breadth and local precision, showing roads, trails, streams, lakes, ridges, and elevation changes with the clarity for which USGS mapping became renowned. It is a mid-century record of a high mountain landscape at a moment when access routes, recreational use, and rural development were still relatively sparse.

The United States Geological Survey, founded in 1879, became the authoritative cartographic voice of the American landscape, combining field science, triangulation, geology, and standardized map design into works of enduring practical and historical value. This map reflects that tradition: contour lines articulate steep slopes and high basins, while shaded relief gives the terrain an immediate sculptural quality. Color is used with disciplined purpose, distinguishing hydrology, vegetation, built features, and relief without obscuring the complexity of the land. The result is both scientific document and visual composition, transforming the severe topography of south-central Montana into an elegantly legible field of lines, tones, and symbols.

Cooke City and Silver Gate occupy a storied position in the region’s geography, lying near mountain passes, mineral districts, and the northeastern approach to Yellowstone. Their presence on this map speaks to a frontier pattern shaped by mining, forest access, seasonal travel, and the allure of alpine scenery. Roads and trails threading through the sheet hint at the practical challenge of moving through this country, where elevation, snowpack, and narrow valleys controlled every route. The mapped settlements appear modest against the scale of surrounding mountains, emphasizing how human occupation here has long been defined by proximity to wilderness rather than dominance over it.

The surrounding landscape is the true protagonist of the map, with the Beartooth Mountains and adjacent high country expressed through dense, rhythmic contouring. Peaks, ridgelines, cirques, drainages, and steep-walled valleys are rendered in a language that rewards close study. Alpine Lake and other water features punctuate the terrain, while streams and tributaries trace the logic of snowmelt and gravity across the slopes. Custer National Forest frames much of the mapped area, underscoring the federal stewardship of these wooded and mountainous lands. The combination of contour lines and shaded relief conveys a palpable sense of elevation, revealing a region of abrupt gradients, exposed summits, and deeply incised waterways.

As a historical document, this map preserves the Cooke City area as understood in the late 1950s, before later changes in land management, tourism infrastructure, road use, and recreation patterns further reshaped the region. It allows modern viewers to compare past and present landscapes: the growth or persistence of trails, the evolution of access corridors, and the enduring dominance of mountain form over human plans. For collectors, it offers the appeal of a precisely observed USGS quadrangle devoted to a remote and evocative corner of Montana. For admirers of western geography, it is a compelling study of place—where science, wilderness, and the history of mountain travel converge.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Cooke City
• Silver Gate
• Custer National Forest
• Beartooth Mountains
• Rivers and nearby streams
• Alpine Lake
• Trails and access routes
• Additional geographical features shown through contour lines and shaded relief

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the United States Geological Survey, also known as the USGS.
• Historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Cooke City, Silver Gate, and the surrounding area in Montana.
• Survey data was collected in 1956 and the map was published in 1960.
• The USGS is known for reliable scientific data and topographical mapping, contributing significantly to geological and cartographic work in the United States.
• The map uses contour lines to show elevation and shaded relief to visualize the terrain.
• A clear color scheme distinguishes different land features, typical of USGS topographic maps.
• Detailed contouring reflects the rugged, mountainous character of this part of Montana.
• The map records the geological and geographic landscape of the 1950s and can be compared with current maps to observe changes in land use and development over time.

Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.

Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.

Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.

With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.