Surveyed in 1968 and published with a 1971 imprint, “Mount Cannon” is a finely detailed U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000 topographical map of one of Montana’s most dramatic alpine landscapes. Centered on Glacier National Park, it records a terrain of steep ridges, glacial valleys, forested slopes, lakes, creeks, and high-country routes at a moment when modern conservation and outdoor tourism were reshaping the American West. Mount Cannon itself anchors the composition, rising above the Lake McDonald country and the celebrated corridor of Going-to-the-Sun Road. As a historical document, the map captures the park’s geography before decades of changing visitation patterns, trail management, environmental monitoring, and visible glacial retreat altered how this landscape would be experienced and understood.

The US Geological Survey brought its characteristic precision to this map, using contour lines to translate Glacier’s rugged verticality into an elegant and legible cartographic language. The close spacing of contours conveys the abrupt pitches of the mountains, while gentler intervals mark valley floors, lake basins, and traversable saddles. Pastel tones distinguish landforms and surface features without overwhelming the eye, creating a balance between scientific utility and visual refinement. Trails, roads, watercourses, and named features are organized through a clear legend typical of USGS quadrangles, intended for practical navigation, land-use analysis, and environmental stewardship. The result is both technically exacting and aesthetically restrained, a mid-century expression of federal cartography at its most disciplined.

Glacier National Park dominates the map’s historical and geographic imagination. Established in 1910, the park preserves a spectacular section of the northern Rocky Mountains shaped by ice, water, and tectonic uplift. Here, peaks and ridges rise above deep troughs where lakes such as Lake McDonald reflect the long work of ancient glaciers. Nearby waterways, including branches of the Flathead River system and creeks such as Twelve-Mile Creek, emphasize the hydrological richness of the region. The map also evokes the larger park landscape associated with St. Mary Lake, Many Glacier, Swiftcurrent Lake, Grinnell Glacier, Kintla Lake, and the Blackfoot Reservation, placing Mount Cannon within a broader network of celebrated natural and cultural landmarks.

Going-to-the-Sun Road is among the most evocative features associated with this landscape, and on a map like “Mount Cannon” it becomes more than a route: it is a thread of human ambition laid across formidable terrain. Completed in the 1930s, the road opened Glacier’s interior to generations of travelers while remaining a feat of engineering sensitive to cliffs, avalanche paths, and alpine exposure. Around it, hiking and backcountry trails mark a different rhythm of movement through the park, leading into valleys, over passes, and toward remote lakes and ridges. The presence of these trails underscores the dual identity of Glacier as both protected wilderness and carefully managed public destination.

As a snapshot of 1968 survey knowledge, “Mount Cannon” holds particular historical resonance. It predates many of the contemporary conversations about climate change, glacier recession, ecosystem stress, and the pressures of mass tourism, yet it documents the physical framework within which those changes have unfolded. The named peaks, water features, roads, and trails remain tied to a landscape whose meanings continue to evolve through scientific study, Indigenous history, conservation policy, and personal exploration. USGS maps of this era were made to be used, trusted, and read closely; today, they also invite reflection. This map offers a poised, data-rich portrait of Glacier National Park at a pivotal moment in the modern history of America’s protected lands.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Glacier National Park
• Mount Cannon
• Lake McDonald
• Flathead Lake
• Going-to-the-Sun Road
• Many Glacier
• St. Mary Lake
• Swiftcurrent Lake
• Grinnell Glacier
• Siyeh Bend
• Apgar Village
• Blackfoot Reservation
• North Fork Flathead River
• South Fork Flathead River
• Kintla Lake
• Twelve-Mile Creek
• Numerous hiking and backcountry trails
• Various unnamed peaks and ridges

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Glacier National Park, Montana, and the surrounding area.
• Surveyed in 1968 and published with a 1971 imprint.
• The USGS is known for creating detailed and accurate topographic maps for land use planning, navigation, and environmental preservation.
• The map uses contour lines to show elevation changes across mountainous terrain, including peaks, valleys, and water features.
• A color scheme and pastel landform shading help distinguish elevations and improve visual clarity.
• The legend includes symbols for trails, bodies of water, and roads.
• The map serves as a historical record of the region’s geography at the time of publication.
• Changes in land use, conservation efforts, and increased tourist activity since 1971 may have altered the area.

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 16x20in (40x50cm) 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.