Lewis and Clark National Forest

The Lewis and Clark National Forest is one of ten national forests in Northern Region. It lies in central and north central Montana within the upper Missouri River system. The forest's elevation ranges from 4,500 to 9,362 feet at the top of Rocky Mountain Peak in the Rocky Mountains. Landscapes range from broad prairies to rugged ridges and mountain peaks. Beautiful grassy parks and mountain meadows are surrounded by forests of douglas fir and lodgepole pine.

West of Great Falls lies the Rocky Mountain Division of the Forest. Over 380,000 acres within the District comprises the Bob Marshall-Great Bear-Scapegoat Wilderness Complex. Another 300,000 acres are managed primarily for recreation, wildlife and scenic values.

The Jefferson Division sprawls over 1,060,000 acres and six mountain ranges (the Highwoods, Crazies, Little Belts, Castles, and Big and Little Snowies). Timber and grazing are major resources of the Jefferson Division. In fact, this Division supplies almost all (96%) of the timber and most (85%) of range production on the Forest. There are two congressionally designated Wilderness Study areas; one in the Little Belt Mountains and the other in the Big Snowy Mountains.

The Lewis and Clark Forest is home for large game animals, small animals and protected species. Forest visitors can hunt elk, mule and white tail deer, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, black bear, mountain lion, and blue grouse. Protected wildlife living on or near the Forest include lynx, bald eagles, grizzly bears, peregrine falcon and gray wolf. The Forest contains many popular viewing sites for migrating waterfowl.

The Forest has 1,600 miles of perennial streams and a few small natural and man-made lakes where forest visitors may fish for trout and mountain whitefish. Included are 14 boat camps and 20 miles of frontage on the Smith River, a nationally acclaimed blue ribbon trout stream. Additionally, over 60 streams are known to support westslope cutthroat trout, an imperiled native fish of the upper Missouri River basin.

Recreation opportunities in the Lewis and Clark National Forest's 1.8 million acres are as varied as the landscape and elevation of the Forest itself. The elevation ranges from 4,500 to 9,362 feet at the top of Rocky Mountain Peak in the Rocky Mountains. The Forest also has 10,730 acres in designated Research Natural Areas - the highest in the Region.

The Forest contains many scenic drives including the Kings Hill National Scenic Byway - U.S. Highway 89 through the Little Belt Mountains, which is a major route between Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, and it also contains 29 developed recreation sites.

Come enjoy educational programs, family trips, fishing, horseback riding trips, hunting, dude ranch lodging, horsepacking, kayaking, canoeing, whitewater rafting, winter sports and tours and treks in the breathtaking Lewis and Clark National Forest with an America Outdoors outfitter today!