List of forests in Montana

Based on the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, there are at least 20 named National and State Forests in Montana. In addition to currently named forests, there are at least 22 former named forests that have been consolidated into current forest lands.

National Forests are administered by the United States Forest Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture. Montana State Forests are administered by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.^[1]

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (May 2011)

Current forests

State forests

Clearwater State Forest, Missoula County, Montana, 46°55′59″N 113°24′27″W / 46.93306°N 113.40750°W / 46.93306; -113.40750 (Clearwater State Forest), el. 3,802 feet (1,159 m) ^[2]
Coal Creek State Forest, Flathead County, Montana, 48°41′37″N 114°17′32″W / 48.69361°N 114.29222°W / 48.69361; -114.29222 (Coal Creek State Forest), el. 4,357 feet (1,328 m) ^[3]
Lincoln State Forest, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, 46°56′00″N 112°41′23″W / 46.93333°N 112.68972°W / 46.93333; -112.68972 (Lincoln State Forest), el. 4,544 feet (1,385 m) ^[4]
Stillwater State Forest, Flathead County, Montana, 48°40′16″N 114°34′57″W / 48.67111°N 114.58250°W / 48.67111; -114.58250 (Stillwater State Forest), el. 4,544 feet (1,385 m) ^[5]
Sula State Forest, Ravalli County, Montana, 45°57′00″N 113°57′33″W / 45.95000°N 113.95917°W / 45.95000; -113.95917 (Sula State Forest), el. 5,321 feet (1,622 m) ^[6]
Swan River State Forest, Lake County, Montana, 47°46′08″N 113°53′34″W / 47.76889°N 113.89278°W / 47.76889; -113.89278 (Swan River State Forest), el. 4,475 feet (1,364 m) ^[7]
Thompson River State Forest, Sanders County, Montana, 47°41′56″N 114°58′29″W / 47.69889°N 114.97472°W / 47.69889; -114.97472 (Thompson River State Forest), el. 3,399 feet (1,036 m) ^[8]

National forests

Beaverhead National Forest, Beaverhead County, Montana, 45°30′01″N 113°00′04″W / 45.50028°N 113.00111°W / 45.50028; -113.00111 (Beaverhead National Forest), el. 8,812 feet (2,686 m) ^[9]
Bitterroot National Forest, Ravalli County, Montana, 45°55′00″N 114°17′03″W / 45.91667°N 114.28417°W / 45.91667; -114.28417 (Bitterroot National Forest), el. 5,853 feet (1,784 m) ^[10]
Custer National Forest, Powder River County, Montana, 45°30′01″N 106°00′03″W / 45.50028°N 106.00083°W / 45.50028; -106.00083 (Custer National Forest), el. 3,622 feet (1,104 m) ^[11]
Deerlodge National Forest, Jefferson County, Montana, 46°05′00″N 112°20′03″W / 46.08333°N 112.33417°W / 46.08333; -112.33417 (Deerlodge National Forest), el. 7,424 feet (2,263 m) ^[12]
Flathead National Forest, Flathead County, Montana, 47°45′01″N 113°30′04″W / 47.75028°N 113.50111°W / 47.75028; -113.50111 (Flathead National Forest), el. 5,177 feet (1,578 m) ^[13]
Gallatin National Forest, Park County, Montana, 45°15′01″N 111°00′04″W / 45.25028°N 111.00111°W / 45.25028; -111.00111 (Gallatin National Forest), el. 8,793 feet (2,680 m) ^[14]
Gallatin Petrified Forest, Gallatin County, Montana, 45°07′10″N 111°06′08″W / 45.11944°N 111.10222°W / 45.11944; -111.10222 (Gallatin Petrified Forest), el. 8,753 feet (2,668 m) ^[15]
Helena National Forest, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, 46°33′00″N 112°12′03″W / 46.55000°N 112.20083°W / 46.55000; -112.20083 (Helena National Forest), el. 5,059 feet (1,542 m) ^[16]
Kaniksu National Forest, Sanders County, Montana, 48°04′00″N 115°48′19″W / 48.06667°N 115.80528°W / 48.06667; -115.80528 (Kaniksu National Forest), el. 2,247 feet (685 m) ^[17]
Kootenai National Forest, Lincoln County, Montana, 48°32′30″N 115°25′04″W / 48.54167°N 115.41778°W / 48.54167; -115.41778 (Kootenai National Forest), el. 4,924 feet (1,501 m) ^[18]
Lewis and Clark National Forest, Meagher County, Montana, 46°55′00″N 110°38′03″W / 46.91667°N 110.63417°W / 46.91667; -110.63417 (Lewis and Clark National Forest), el. 6,647 feet (2,026 m) ^[19]
Lolo National Forest, Sanders County, Montana, 47°35′00″N 115°35′04″W / 47.58333°N 115.58444°W / 47.58333; -115.58444 (Lolo National Forest), el. 5,302 feet (1,616 m) ^[20]

Other forests

The Lubrecht Experimental Forest is managed by the W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation at the University of Montana.^[21] The forest is in Missoula County, Montana, 46°53′30″N 113°26′03″W / 46.89167°N 113.43417°W / 46.89167; -113.43417 (Lubrecht State Experimental Forest), el. 4,157 feet (1,267 m).^[22]

Former national forests

Absaroka National Forest, now part of Lewis and Clark National Forest and Gallatin National Forest (1945)^[23]
Beartooth National Forest, now part of Custer National Forest (1932)^[23]
Big Belt National Forest, now part of Helena National Forest and Gallatin National Forest (1908) ^[23]
Big Hole National Forest, now part of Beaverhead, Deerlodge and Bitterroot National Forests (1908) ^[23]
Blackfeet National Forest, now part of Flathead National Forest and Kootenai National Forest (1935) ^[23]
Cabinet National Forest, now part of Kaniksu, Kootenai and Lolo National Forests (1954) ^[23]
Crazy Mountain National Forest, now part of Lewis and Clark National Forest (1908) ^[23]
Ekalaka National Forest, now part of Custer National Forest (1908) ^[23]
Elkhorn National Forest, now part of Helena National Forest (1908) ^[23]
Flathead Forest Reserve, now part of Flathead National Forest and Lewis and Clark National Forest (1903) ^[23]
Hell Gate National Forest, now part of Beaverhead, Deerlodge, Missoula and Bitterroot National Forests (1908) ^[23]
Highwood Mountains National Forest, now part of Lewis and Clark National Forest (1908) ^[23]
Jefferson National Forest (Montana), now part of Lewis and Clark National Forest (1932) ^[23]
Little Belt National Forest, now part of Lewis and Clark National Forest (1908) ^[23]
Little Rockies National Forest, now part of Lewis and Clark National Forest (1908) ^[23]
Long Pine National Forest, now part of Custer National Forest (1908) ^[23]
Madison National Forest, now part of Beaverhead, Gallatin and Deerlodge National Forests (1931) ^[23]
Missoula National Forest, now part of Lolo National Forest and Deerlodge National Forest (1931) ^[23]
Otter National Forest, now part of Custer National Forest (1908) ^[23]
Pryor Mountains National Forest, now part of Custer National Forest (1908) ^[23]
Sioux National Forest, now part of Custer National Forest (1920) ^[23]
Snowy Mountains National Forest, now part of Lewis and Clark National Forest (1908) ^[23]

Notes

^ "About Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation". Archived from the original on May 15, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
^ "Clearwater State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Coal Creek State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Lincoln State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Stillwater State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Sula State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Swan River State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Thompson River State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Beaverhead National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Bitterroot National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Custer National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Deerlodge National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Flathead National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Gallatin National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Gallatin Petrified Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Helena National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Kaniksu National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Kootenai National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Lewis and Clark National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Lolo National Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "Lubrecht Forest". University of Montana. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
^ "Lubrecht State Experimental Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v Davis, Richard C. (September 29, 2005), National Forests of the United States (PDF), The Forest History Society, archived from the original (pdf) on October 28, 2012

State of Montana

Helena (capital)

Society

Montana portal

Protected areas of Montana

Federal

National parks	Glacier Yellowstone
National monuments	Little Bighorn Battlefield Pompeys Pillar (BLM) Upper Missouri River Breaks (BLM)
National battlefield	Big Hole
National historical parks and historic sites	Grant–Kohrs Ranch NHS Nez Perce NHP
National historic and scenic trails	Lewis and Clark NHT Nez Perce NHT Continental Divide NST Pacific Northwest NST
National recreation area	Bighorn Canyon
National Wildlife Refuges	Benton Lake Black Coulee Bowdoin Charles M. Russell Creedman Coulee Grass Lake Hailstone Hewitt Lake Lake Mason Lake Thibadeau Lamesteer Lee Metcalf Lost Trail Medicine Lake Ninepipe Pablo Red Rock Lakes Swan River UL Bend War Horse
National Forests	Beaverhead–Deerlodge Bitterroot Custer Flathead Gallatin Helena Kootenai Lewis and Clark Lolo
National Wilderness	Absaroka–Beartooth Anaconda–Pintler Bear Trap Canyon Bob Marshall Cabinet Mountains Gates of the Mountains Great Bear Lee Metcalf Medicine Lake Mission Mountains Rattlesnake Red Rock Lakes Scapegoat Selway–Bitterroot UL Bend Welcome Creek
National wild and scenic rivers	East Rosebud Creek Flathead Missouri

State

State parks	Ackley Lake Anaconda Smoke Stack Bannack Beaverhead Rock Beavertail Hill Big Arm Black Sandy Brush Lake Chief Plenty Coups Clark's Lookout Cooney Council Grove Elkhorn Finley First Peoples Buffalo Jump Fort Owen Frenchtown Pond Giant Springs Granite Ghost Town Greycliff Prairie Dog Town Hell Creek Lake Elmo Lake Mary Ronan Lewis and Clark Caverns Logan Lone Pine Lost Creek Madison Buffalo Jump Makoshika Medicine Rocks Missouri Headwaters Painted Rocks Parker Homestead Pictograph Cave Pirogue Island Placid Lake Rosebud Battlefield Salmon Lake Sluice Boxes Smith River Somers Beach Spring Meadow Lake Thompson Falls Tongue River Reservoir Tower Rock Travelers' Rest Wayfarers West Shore Whitefish Lake Wild Horse Island Yellow Bay
State forests	Clearwater Coal Creek Lincoln Lubrecht Experimental Stillwater Sula Swan River Thompson River
Wildlife Management Areas	Amelia Island Aunt Molly Badlands Beartooth Beckman Big Lake Blackfoot-Clearwater Blackleaf Blue Eyed Nellie Bowdoin Buffalo Head Park Bull River Calf Creek Canyon Creek Canyon Ferry Dodson Creek Dodson Dam Dome Mountain Ear Mountain Elk Island F Island Flathead Lake Flathead River Fleecer Mountain Fox Lake Freezout Lake Fresno Reservoir Fresno Tailwater Gallatin Garrity Mountain Grant Marsh Gravelly-Blacktail Haymaker Hinsdale Horseshoe Lake Howard Valley Isaac Homestead Judith River Kootenai/Falls Kootenai/West Kootenai/Woods Ranch Lake Helena Lost Creek Lower Stillwater Lake Madison-Bear Creek Madison-Wall Creek Milk River Mount Haggin Mount Jumbo Mount Silcox Nevada Lake Ninepipe North Swan Valley CE Pablo Ray Kuhns Robb-Ledford Rookery Roundhom Sanders Seven Sisters Silver Gate Silver Run Smith River Sun River Swan Lake Thompson-Fisher CE Three Mile Threemile Vandalia War Dance Island Warm Springs