The Kootenai National Forest is located in the Northwest corner of Montana and the Northeast corner of Idaho on the Canadian border. Providing abundant recreation and a wealth of natural resources, the Kootenai is a perfect place to relax and enjoy your National Forests!
Recreation Site Status - Updated 6/12/2020
The health and safety of visitors as well as Forest Service employees and volunteers is paramount during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are working meet the social distancing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Governor Bullock’s Reopening Montana Phased Approach to help reduce the spread of the virus. All recreation sites and rentals cabins are open. Lookout rentals will open as scheduled. For information on recreation opportunities see our Forest Recreation webpage.
Continuing our Service to You During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Continuing our service to you while doing our part to address the COVID-19 Pandemic is very important. To assist us, we are asking all office visitors to self-assess using several USDA-provided questions. MORE
Since 1983, the Kootenai NF archaeologists have researched early logging practices and relocated the sites where they occurred. Information was amassed from oral history interviews, record donations, local and regional museum collections, universities, and state archives so we could understand and chart the migration of Midwestern logging companies from Minnesota to Washington in the early twentieth century, and their influence on the methods used in Lincoln County. View our online Story Journal see the product of this effort.
FSTopo is the Forest Service series of large scale topographic maps. FSTopo maps are 7.5 minute, 1:24,000-scale over the conterminous United States, and 15 minute X 20-22.5 minute, 1:63,360-scale over Alaska.
These maps are available in several formats including:
Fire plays a natural role in the Kootenai National Forest and NW Montana ecosystem. It promotes vegetative and wildlife diversity and eliminates heavy fuel accumulations that can lead to catastrophic wildfire if not removed. Natural fires occur about every 5-25 years and they tend to be low intensity, ground fires that remove woody shrubs. You can now use our interactive map viewer to explore the wildland fire history for the Northern Region of the Forest Service, including the Kootenai National Forest.
A food storage order signed on June 3, 2011 requires food storage and garbage practice across the Forest to reduce the potential for human-wildlife encounters.
Weed Free Forage
It is a violation of rule (FS) and law (State of Montana) to utilize forage or mulch materials that contain the seeds of noxious weeds.
Food Storage Order
A food storage order signed in 2011 requires food storage practice across the Forest to reduce the potential for human-wildlife encounters.
Protect Your Forest
Report crime on your National Forest or Grassland using this form.
The Kootenai National Forest is located in the Northwest corner of Montana and the Northeast corner of Idaho on the Canadian border. Providing abundant recreation and a wealth of natural resources, the Kootenai is a perfect place to relax and enjoy your National Forests!
