Lewis and Clark National Forest

The Lewis and Clark National Forest is located in central and north central Montana within the upper Missouri River system. 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, (site of the Supervisor's Office) lies the Rocky Mountain Division. 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 Lewis and Clark Forest has a strong commitment to providing ecologically sustainable goods, service, and experience. The organization of the Forest is adaptive, efficient and responsive. Customer service, partnerships, and a strong land ethic are all hallmarks of the Forest.

Home to a variety of 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 the gray wolf. The Forest contains many popular viewing sites for migrating waterfowl, 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. 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. The Lewis and Clark National Forest contains 29 developed recreation sites. Many of these sites are handicap accessible. There are five cabins on the Forest that may be rented by the public on a first come, first served basis. The Forest also has two special-use ski areas within its boundaries.

Lewis & Clark National Forest
1101 15th Street N.
Great Falls, MT 59405
406-791-7700