Lewis and Clark National Forest

Created in 1906, the two-million-acre Lolo National Forest in west central Montana is one of ten national forests in Montana, geographically surrounding the city of Missoula and bounded by other national forests and the Flathead Indian Reservation. Today, the Lolo National Forest is divided into five "ranger districts" with offices in Missoula, Ninemile (near Frenchtown), Plains, Seeley Lake, and Superior. Forest Headquarters is in Missoula; a community of 60,000 and growing.

Nearly 300 Forest Service employees including the Forest Supervisor, District Rangers, administrative staff, program managers, archeologists, computer and communications specialists, engineers, fire managers, fire fighters, fisheries biologists, forest ecologists, silviculturists, geologists, hydrologists, law enforcement officers, land and realty specialists, public affairs specialists, range conservationists, recreation specialists, visitor information specialists, and wildlife biologists provide day-to-day contact with the public and manage the Lolo National Forest.

Because Lolo National Forest is west of the continental divide it is influenced by both continental and maritime climates. These climates provide for a wide range of environmental gradients producing a forest of high diversity. The diverse ecosystems range from wet, western redcedar bottoms to high alpine peaks, and forests of alpine larch and whitebark pine and are home for 17 conifer and 5 hardwood tree species, over 300 bird species, at least 20 fish species, over 60 mammal species and an estimated 1,500 plant species, including 250 non-native plant species. Record-sized trees are here. The Montana Champion ponderosa pine is located in the Fish Creek drainage and a national co-champion western larch is near Seeley Lake.

Elevation ranges from less than 2,400 ft. on the Clark Fork River below Thompson Falls and top out over 9,000 ft. at Ptarmigan Point near Seeley Lake. The highest point is Scapegoat Mountain in the Scapegoat Wilderness. Water is plentiful, producing five major rivers, over 100 named lakes and nearly 1,000 named streams.

Lolo National Forest
Fort Missoula, Bldg 24
Missoula, MT 59804
(406) 329-3750