Montana Geographic Names Advisor

The Montana Geographic Names Advisor (GNA) is responsible for making official recommendations on behalf of the State of Montana to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) on all name changes or new names the BGN is considering in Montana. The BGN determines what names the federal government recognizes for placement on maps produced by federal agencies.

In order to determine whether or not to recommend approval of a name proposal, the GNA sends requests for comments to several state agencies and the county commissions of the counties affected by the proposal and issues a public request for comments. The GNA considers the opinions of all interested parties and forwards all opinions received, whether they agree or disagree with GNA's recommendation, to the BGN to help it make the final decision.

Please send a message to:

Temporary Contact - geoinfo@mt.gov
Geographic Names Advisor (Vacant & Under Policy Review: FY2022 Land Plan and FY2023 Land Plan)

Federal Notice on Comment Period for Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3404 - Declaring "Squaw" a Derogatory Term and Implementing Procedures to Remove the Term from Federal Usage:

In accordance with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Order No. 3404, a public comment period has been established for the following names of features with the existing term “squaw” and replacement names offered by the task force created by the order.

All input, including any counterproposals, must be received by April 24th, 2022 and provided to the U.S. Department of the Interior task force.

To comment, please go to the Regulations.gov website: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/DOI-2022-0001-0001.

The following current and proposed names on federal lands in Montana that are being considered by the Dept. of Interior Order 3404:

New or Proposed Name	Current or Former Name	GNIS Feature ID	Feature Type	State	County	Fedl Land Mgmt Agency	Primary DD [Mouth] Lat	Primary DD [Mouth] Long	Secondary DD [Source] Lat	Secondary DD [Source] Long	USGS Primary Topo Map
Lefthand Creek	Squaw Meadows Creek	791385	stream	MT	Flathead	FS	48.2816285	114.763197	48.206348	114.7726395	Sylvia Lake
Lefthand Meadow	Squaw Meadows	791384	flat	MT	Flathead	FS	48.2763505	114.2763505			Sylvia Lake

USGS Geographic Names Information System Map Viewer - https://edits.nationalmap.gov/apps/gaz-domestic/public/search/names?loc=48.2763505,-114.7790312,16

Past Name Change Proposals

The following proposals have been made from 2002 to 2017:

New Name	Old Name	County	Location
Klatt Reservoir	Kelly Reservoir	Madison County, Montana	44°57’47”N, 111°45’58”W	Approved
Goeddertz Lake	Goedertz Lake	Toole County, Montana	48°44’52”N, 111°58’13”W	Approved
Lone Coyote Lake		Flathead County, Montana	48°17’23”N, 114°23’45”W	Withdrawn
Malcolm Creek		Sheridan County, Montana	48°35’42”N, 104°46’33”W	Approved
Ivys Island		Roosevelt County, Montana	48°04’14”N, 105°01’04”W;	Approved
Ahern Creek	O’Hearn Creek	Sweet Grass County, Montana	46°13’00”N, 110°10’15”W	Denied
Williams Creek	Squaw Creek	Blaine County and Phillips County, Montana	47°51’17”N, 108°57’11”W	Denied
Liebig Creek		Flathead County, Montana	48°14’41”N, 114°46’35”W,	Withdrawn
Clarks Crossing		Yellowstone County, Montana	45°33’01”N, 108°20’52”W	Approved
Kills At Night Creek	Squaw Creek	Blaine County and Phillips County, Montana	47°51’17”N, 108°57’11”W	Approved
Benson Creek		Beaverhead County, Montana	45°14’59”N, 112°35’12”W	Approved
Ferris Peak		Madison County, Montana	45°33’32”N, 112°03’57”W	Approved
George Shaw Spring		Lincoln County, Montana	48°04’27”N, 115°32’28”W	Approved
Nursery Creek		Jefferson County, Montana	46°18’18”N, 112°01’52”W,	Approved
Bad Medicine Spires		Lincoln County, Montana	48°13’46”N, 115°52’18”W	Approved
Sim-heh Creek		Missoula County, Montana	47°04’47”N, 114°04’59”W	Approved
Castle Cliffs		Lincoln County, Montana	48°13’46”N, 115°52’18”W	Withdrawn
Grizzly Creek		Missoula County, Montana	47°04’47”N, 114°04’59”W	Denied
Rittel Mountain		Lewis and Clark County, Montana	47°03’36”N, 112°19’32”W	Approved
Cheatgrass Hill		Ravalli County, Montana	46°29'09''N, 114°03'54''W	Denied
Yenne Peak		Glacier County, Montana	48°49’19”N, 113°45’10”W	Denied
Little Wolf Creek	Squaw Creek	Powder River County, Montana	5°43’41”N, 105°41’19”W	Denied
Wally McClure Creek		Gallatin County, Montana	44°48’15”N, 111°17’39”W	Approved
Wilsall Peak		Park County, Montana	46°01’37”N, 110°20’46”W	Approved
Bollys Ridge		Powell County, Montana	47°13’19”N, 113°21’34”W	Denied
Invitation Island		Flathead County, Montana	48°04’14”N, 114°13’00”W	Approved
Two Moons Creek	Squaw Creek	Powder River County, Montana	45º43’41”N, 105º41’19”W	Approved
Brindle Calf Woman Butte	Squaw Butte	Hill County, Montana	48°24’37”N, 109°33’30”W	Approved
Dry Fork Nancy Russell Creek	Dry Fork Squaw Creek	Garfield County, Montana	47°23’19”N, 107°35’01”W	Approved
Hot Dance Creek	Squaw Creek	Carbon County, Montana	45°28’40”N, 108°59’57”W	Approved
Iron Teeth Woman Creek	Short Squaw Creek	Custer County, Montana	46°16’55”N, 105°36’23”W	Approved
Little Nancy Russell Creek	Little Squaw Creek	Garfield County, Montana	47°27’58”N, 107°48’45”W	Approved
Nancy Russell Creek	Squaw Creek	Garfield County, Montana	47°27’58”N, 107°48’45”W	Approved
North Woman Creek	Squaw Creek	Custer County, Montana	46°16’55”N, 105°46’04”W	Approved
Shedhorn Creek		Jefferson County, Montana	46°06’54”N, 112°08’54”W	Approved
Charlie Swamps		Powell County, Montana	47°11’50”N, 113°24’56”W	Denied
Duckhead Buttes	Squaw Buttes	Glacier County, Montana	48°32’03”N, 112°30’29”W	Approved
Pikuni Flat	Squaw Flat	Glacier County, Montana	48°54’46”N, 113°08’13”W	Approved
Mooney Mountain		Beaverhead County, Montana	45º05’28”N, 112º45’25”W	Approved
Aspen Hill	Squaw Teat	Meagher County, Montana	46°53’56”N, 111°31’43”W	Denied
Benson Peak		Beaverhead County, Montana	45°07’12”N, 112°27’54”W	Approved
Big Sagebrush Coulee	Squaw Coulee	Judith Basin County and Fergus County, Montana	47°12’08”N, 109°52’17”W	Approved
Cameron Creek	Squaw Creek	Meagher County, Montana	46°49’36”N, 110°58’18”	Approved
Cutthroat Creek	Squaw Creek	Granite County, Montana	46°05’15”N, 113°30’22”W	Approved
Indian Graves Butte	Squaws Grave Butte	Fergus County, Montana	47°16’14”N, 109°37’50”W	Approved
Chewh-toowh-too-peh Hill	Squaw Hill	Broadwater County, Montana	46°03’59”N, 111°33’57”W	Approved
Choo-heh-meen Hills	Squaw Teats	Sweet Grass County, Montana	45°49’29”N, 109°40’41”W	Approved
Il-mo-to Creek	Squaw Creek	Meagher County, Montana	46°49’36”N, 110°58’18”	Denied
In-matl-qe Butte	Squaws Grave Butte	Fergus County, Montana	47°16’14”N, 109°37’50”W	Denied
In-moolsh Creek	Squaw Creek	Chouteau County, Montana	47°27’15”N, 110°26’42”W	Approved
In-pa-ah Creek	Squaw Creek	Lake County, Montana	47°48’15”N, 113°47’47”W	Approved
In-poo-poo-neh Coulee	Squaw Coulee	Judith Basin County and Fergus County, Montana	47°12’08”N, 109°52’17”W	Denied
In-thlam-keh Lake	Squaw Lake	Flathead County, Montana	48°07’48”N, 113°54’33”W	Approved
Middle Fork Sheh-shoo-tum Creek	Middle Fork Squaw Creek	Madison County, Montana	44°55’19”N, 111°33’49”W	Denied
Mil-mil-teh Hill	Squaw Teat	Meagher County, Montana	46°53’56”N, 111°31’43”W	Approved
Moolsh Hill	Squaws Tit	Park County, Montana	45°54’13”N, 110°33’39”W	Approved
North Fork Sheh-shoo-tum Creek	North Fork Squaw Creek	Madison County, Montana	44°56’49”N, 111°31’38”W	Denied
Pees-thul Creek	Squaw Creek	Granite County, Montana	46°05’15”N, 113°30’22”W	Denied
Sheh-shoo-tum Creek	Squaw Creek	Madison County, Montana	44°54’47”N, 111°36’16”W	Denied
Sih-mem Creek	Squaw Creek	Cascade County, Montana	46°58’26”N, 110°42’04”W	Approved
Sin-pul-stu-weh Gulch	Squaw Gulch	Powell County, Montana	46°30’40”N, 112°57’54”	Approved
Sin-tin-tin-em-ska Creek	Squaw Creek	Missoula County, Montana	46°44’07”N, 114°03’48”W	Approved
Skwoom-tsin Creek	Squaw Creek	Beaverhead County, Montana	45°48’30”N, 113°19’47”W	Denied
Skwoom-tsin Lake	Squaw Lake	Beaverhead County, Montana	45°45’27N, 113°13’20W	Denied
Snoo-weh Pass	Squaw Pass	Fremont County, Idaho and Beaverhead County, Monta	44°36’22”N, 111°31’29”W	Approved
South Fork Sheh-shoo-tum Creek	South Fork Squaw Creek	Madison County, Montana	44°55’04”N, 111°34’05”W	Denied
Sqaylth-kwum Creek	Squaw Creek	Sanders County, Montana	47°39’22”N, 115°23’52”	Approved
Too-nah-hin Creek	Squaw Creek	Cascade County, Montana	47°04’21”N, 111°34’30”W	Approved
Too-nah-hin Hollow	Squaw Hollow	Cascade County, Montana	47°04’21”N, 111°34’30”W	Approved
Whe-lha-kleh-tseen Mountain	Squaw Peak	Ravalli County, Montana	46°26’04”N, 113°53’03”W	Approved
Dawussuua Ashkaate	Squaw Creek	Big Horn County, Montana	45°33’12”N, 107°27’00”W	Approved
Middle Fork Sun Creek	Middle Fork Squaw Creek	Madison County, Montana	44°55’19”N, 111°33’49”W	Approved
North Fork Sun Creek	North Fork Squaw Creek	Madison County, Montana	44°56’49”N, 111°31’38”W	Approved
Pomp Peak		Gallatin County, Montana	45°54’18”N, 110°58’36”W	Approved
South Fork Dawussuua Ashkaate	South Fork Squaw Creek	Big Horn County, Montana	45°33’11”N, 107°30’55”W	Approved
South Fork Sun Creek	South Fork Squaw Creek	Madison County, Montana	44°55’04”N, 111°34’05”W	Approved
Sun Creek	Squaw Creek	Madison County, Montana	44°54’46”N, 111°36’16”W	Approved
Lovell Lake	Squaw Lake	Beaverhead County, Montana	45°45’27”N, 113°13’20”W	Approved
Wilderness Lake	Grob Lake	Lincoln County, Montana	48°55’56”N, 115°08’12”W	Denied
Cheawalk Creek	Squaw Creek	Sanders County, Montana	47°39’23”N, 115°23’52”W	Withdrawn
Christiansen Creek	Squaw Creek	Beaverhead County, Montana	45°48’31”N, 113°19’49”W	Approved
Christiansen Lake	Squaw Lake	Beaverhead County, Montana	45°45’27”N, 113°13’20”W	Withdrawn
Paradise Falls		Lewis and Clark County, Montana	46°45’06”N, 112°27’50”W	Approved
Jurds Creek	Squaw Creek	Beaverhead County, Montana	45°48’31”N, 113°19’49”W	Withdrawn
Jurds Lake	Squaw Lake	Beaverhead County, Montana	45°45’27”N, 113°13’20”W	Withdrawn
Middle Fork Gold Creek		Ravalli County, Montana	46°10’03”N, 114°12’08”W	Approved
North Fork Gold Creek	Gold Creek – in part	Ravalli County, Montana	46°10’57”N, 114°10’27”W	Approved
Pilik Ridge	Pillick Ridge	Sanders County, Montana	48°05’07”N, 115°50’33”W	Approved
South Fork Gold Creek	Ward Creek	Ravalli County, Montana	46°10’09”N, 114°11’14”W	Withdrawn
Wileys Slough		Flathead County, Montana	48°07’25”N, 114°12’39”W	Approved
Burned-over Ground Creek	Squaw Creek	Lake County, Montana	47°48’15”N, 113°50’15”W	Withdrawn
Gold Creek	Ward Creek	Ravalli County, Montana	46°10’57”N, 114°10’24”W	Approved
Hirschy Mountain	Squaw Mountain	Beaverhead County, Montana	45°22’25”N, 113°42’21”W	Approved
Maverick Reservoir	Squaw Reservoir	Carter County, Montana	45°37’52”N, 104°15’12”W	Approved
Rainwater Mountain		Flathead County, Montana	48°28’04”N, 113°56’03”W	Denied
Skl-ow-kin Creek	Squaw Creek	Beaverhead County, Montana	44°54’33”N, 112°33’24”W	Approved
Confluentus, Lake		Flathead County, Montana	48°25’16”N, 113°30’26”W	Denied
Engagement Lake	No Name Lake	Glacier County, Montana	48°28’46”N, 113°26’48”W	Denied
Alex Lowe Peak		Gallatin County, Montana	45°25’38”N, 111°00’52”W	Approved
Browns Slough		Flathead County, Montana	48°07’25”N, 114°12’39”W	Withdrawn
Magone Mountain		Mineral County, Montana	47°06’31”N, 114°51’10”W	Approved
Reeds Slough		Flathead County, Montana	48°07’35”N, 114°12’00”W	Approved
Lott Creek	Squaw Creek	Madison County, Montana	45°00’33”N, 113°57’43”W	Approved
Moltich Spring	Squaw Creek Spring	Madison County, Montana	45°00’30”N, 113°56’13”W	Approved
Disappointment Pass	Lemhi Pass	Lemhi County, Idaho and Beaverhead County, Montana	44º58’27”N, 113º26’39”W	Denied
Pine Island		Cascade County, Montana	47º10’52”N, 111º48’30”W	Approved
Bobcat Saddle		Ravalli County, Montana	46°02’44”N, 114°03’32”W	Approved
Ch-paa-qn Peak	Squaw Peak	Missoula County and Sanders County, Montana	47°09’28”N, 114°21’18”W	Approved
Cube Iron Pass	Squaw Pass	Sanders County, Montana	47°41’01”N, 115°17’02”W	Approved
Denbys Peak		Prairie County, Montana	46°52’58”N, 105°04’17”W	Approved
Hagerty Creek	Squaw Creek	Glacier County, Montana	48°56’56”N, 113°04’45”W	Approved
Meyers Creek Pass	Squaw Pass	Sweet Grass County, Montana	45°29’01”N, 109°59’11”W	Approved
Pine Island Rapids	Halfbreed Rapids	Cascade County, Montana	47°10’55”N, 111°48’21”W	Approved
Sacajawea Mountain	Squaw Mountain	Beaverhead County, Montana	45°22’25”N, 113°42’21”W	Denied
Sohon Pass	Saint Regis Pass	Shoshone County, Idaho and Mineral County, Montana	47°26’59”N, 115°43’15”W	Denied
Travois Gulch	Squaw Gulch	Sweet Grass County, Montana	45°30’43”N, 109°56’01”W	Approved
Buffalo Reservoir	Squaw Reservoir	Carter County, Montana	45°37’52”N, 104°15’12”W	Denied
Deer Point	Squaw Nipple	Yellowstone County, Montana	45°58’59”N, 108°18’10”W	Approved
Dragonfly Creek	Squaw Creek	Sanders County, Montana	47°19’11”N, 114°51’57”W	Approved
Girl Creek	Squaw Creek	Yellowstone County, Montana	45°52’27”N, 108°17’44”W	Approved
Indian Woman Creek	Squaw Creek	Madison County, Montana	45°00’33”N, 113°57’43”W	Denied
Indian Woman Lake	Squaw Lake	Beaverhead County, Montana	45°45’27”N, 113°13’20”W	Withdrawn
Indian Woman Spring	Squaw Creek Spring	Madison County, Montana	45°00’28”N, 113°56’05”W	Denied
Morning Star Peak	Squaw Peak	Sweet Grass County, Montana	45°30’59”N, 110°02’31”W	Approved
Star Peak	Squaw Peak	Sanders County, Montana	48º05’36”N, 115º55’36”W	Approved
Storm Castle Creek	Squaw Creek	Gallatin County, Montana	45°45’27”N, 113°13’17”W	Approved
Twin Peaks	Squaw Buttes	Big Horn County, Montana	45°27’47”N, 107°58’39”W	Approved
Eagle Rock	Squaw Rock	Granite County, Montana	46º21’26”N, 113º36’38”W	Denied
Goat Mountain		Madison County, Montana	44º54’29”N, 111º26’05”W	Denied
Leckrone Creek	Squaw Creek	Lincoln County, Montana	48º08’42”N, 115º19’29”W	Approved
Spirit Woman Butte	Squaw Butte	Blaine County, Montana	48º01’05”N, 108º50’57”W	Approved
Wright Rock	Squaw Rock	Granite County, Montana	46º21’26”N, 113º36’38”W	Approved

Page History

Montana Geographic Names Advisor

Federal Notice on Comment Period for Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3404 - Declaring "Squaw" a Derogatory Term and Implementing Procedures to Remove the Term from Federal Usage:

Past Name Change Proposals

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Montana Geographic Names Advisor

Federal Notice on Comment Period for Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3404 - Declaring "Squaw" a Derogatory Term and Implementing Procedures to Remove the Term from Federal Usage:

Past Name Change Proposals

Federal Notice on Comment Period for Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3404 - Declaring "Squaw" a Derogatory Term and Implementing Procedures to Remove the Term from Federal Usage: