Official websites use .gov
A .gov
website belongs to an official government organization in the
United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock
(
) or https:// means you've safely
connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only
on official, secure websites.
Welcome to the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest!
Endless exploration
With 2.8 million acres of public land spread across mountain ranges from the Continental Divide to the eastern edges of central Montana, your favorite place is out there!
About Us
The scenic Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest stretches 2.8-million acres through central and north-central Montana. The Forest is comprised of island mountain ranges bisected by the Continental Divide and Missouri River and includes 6 ranger districts: Lincoln, Helena, Townsend, Judith - Musselshell, Rocky Mountain, and Belt Creek - White Sulphur Springs and 2 Forest Supervisor's offices located in Helena and Great Falls to oversee forest management in 17 counties.
Follow us on Facebook!
Keep Informed
|
After providing your email address, you can subscribe to the Forest's project mailing lists and any categories of interest. By selecting a category, the Forest will automatically sign you up for all current AND future project mailing lists that share the same interest. |
Features
Be Bear Aware!
The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest is home to both black and grizzly bears, and provides important habitat for bears and other wildlife to use throughout the year. Learning about bears will help you become a more knowledgeable visitor to the forest, and will help keep both you and bears safe while sharing the woods.
Great American Outdoors Act benefits recreational opportunities across Forest
The Great American Outdoors Act gave the USDA Forest Service new opportunities to deliver benefits to the American public through major investments in recreation infrastructure, public lands access, and land and water conservation. These investments will enable communities to Build Back Better by contributing to economic growth and job creation in rural America. GAOA provides permanent full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) that will advance the Administration’s 30 x 30 conservation goals and establishes a new National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) to address the deferred maintenance backlog for the Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior in fiscal years 21-25.
Spotlights
Do Not Move Firewood
Montana has suitable habitat for harmful forest pests and therefore prohibits the transport of firewood from most US states and Canadian provinces where invasive species are present.
Holter Lake-Gates of the Mountains River Recreation Plan
Review the coordinated draft management plan for the Holter Lake-Gates of the Mountains Recreation Area on the Missouri River.
Plant Biodiversity Flickr Set
Visit our Flickr album featuring the plant biodiversity of the Helena-side of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
USDA Civil Rights Policy Statement April 9, 2021
Secretary Vilsack writes that, "At USDA, we are recommitting ourselves to the values of equity, inclusion, and equal opportunity for each other and those we serve."
