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About the Forest
Location & Geography
The Kootenai National Forest is located in the extreme Northwest corner of Montana and Northeast Idaho and encompasses over 2.2 million acres, an area nearly three times the size of Rhode Island. The Forest is bordered on the north by British Columbia, Canada, and on the west by Idaho. Of the total acres, 50,384 are within the State of Idaho. Access into the Forest is via U.S. Highways 2 and 93 and Montana State Highways 37, 56, 200 and 508.
Ranges of high craggy peaks mark the Forest with Snowshoe Peak in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness at 8,738 feet, the highest point. The Whitefish Range, Purcell Mountains, Bitterroot Range, Salish Mountains, and Cabinet Mountains are all part of the rugged terrain radiating from the river valleys. In the north central part of the Forest, the land is more open with gently rolling timbered hills lying in the shadows of the Whitefish Range.
The Forest is dominated by two major rivers, the Kootenai and the Clark Fork, along with several smaller rivers and their tributaries. Two hydroelectric dams on the Clark Fork have created the Cabinet Gorge and Noxon reservoirs within the Forest boundary. State Highway 200 parallels these reservoirs as it crosses the Forest. The Kootenai River is spanned by another hydroelectric (and flood-control) project, Libby Dam. This structure located about 17 miles upstream from Libby, Montana, has created Lake Koocanusa, a 90-mile-long reservoir reaching northward into the Canadian Rockies. Lake Koocanusa is almost totally surrounded by national forest lands...no private summer home or condominium developments here. State Highway 37 follows the east shore to Rexford and beyond to Eureka, Montana. The elevation of the Kootenai River as it leaves the Forest and the State is 1,862 feet, the lowest point in Montana.
The Yaak, Fisher, Tobacco, and Vermillion Rivers are smaller rivers within the confines of the Forest. There are over 100 lakes inside the boundaries of the Kootenai ranging from small alpine lakes to 1,240-acre McGregor Lake.
The climate of the Kootenai has been described as "modified Pacific maritime" in character, meaning that compared to the remainder of Montana, this area's climate resembles that found along the Pacific coast. The character becomes "modified" by occasional intrusions of the arctic air masses, more commonly found in the remainder of the State, which can bring winter temperatures down to -30° F. with heavy snowfalls in the mountains. Average annual temperatures of 45° F. reflect the moderating influence of the Pacific air masses. Summer temperatures are moderate with few days reaching over the 90° mark. The wet season in the Forest usually occurs in the fall and early winter.
History
The prehistory of the Forest goes back at least 8,000 years, when people moved across the landscape hunting and gathering. Through the use of geological, biological, sociological, and archaeological evidence, archaeologists have been piecing together how the natives used this land called Kootenai. Learn more on our History and Culture webpage.
Establishment
Before leaving office President Grover Cleveland set aside millions of acres of Forest Reserves in Western North America. The Kootenai Forest Reserve was established in August 1906 and management was transferred from the Department of the Interior General Land Office to the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Forestry, which was soon renamed the Forest Service. Fremont N. Haines was the first Supervisor and was in charge of the Kootenai Forest Reserve. Eventually, the Kootenai Forest would encompass parts of three reserves. Adjacent forests that would later become a part of the Kootenai National Forest included: the Flathead Forest Reserve (established in 1897), the Lewis & Clark Reserve (established in 1903), and the Cabinet Forest Reserve (established in 1907). Learn more in our 2006 publication The Future of our Past [PDF, 10.9MB].
Forest Administration
All National Forests are administrated by the US Forest Service which is a part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Forest Service is comprised of administrative units known as Regions. The Kootenai is part of the Forest Service Northern Region. The Northern Region is comprised of 12 National Forests spread across North Idaho, Montana, and a sliver of northeastern Washington. 4 National Grasslands of the Dakota Prairie Grasslands are in North Dakota and northwestern South Dakota.
Adjacent National Forests
National forests adjacent to the Kootenai include the Flathead National Forest towards the east, the Idaho Panhandle National Forests to the west, and the Lolo National Forest to the south.
Ranger Districts
Under the jurisdiction of a Forest Supervisor, the Forest is divided into five areas known as Ranger Districts. Each district has its own management staff led by the District Ranger located at the Ranger District office. The Forest Supervisor's office, located in Libby, MT, houses various program managers and resources utilized by Districts in managing the forest.
Kootenai National Forest Ranger Districts include:
- Rexford Ranger District - Eureka Ranger Station
- Fortine Ranger District - Murphy Lake Ranger Station (office is closed)
- Three Rivers Ranger District - Troy Ranger Station
- Libby Ranger District - Canoe Gulch Ranger Station
- Cabinet Ranger District - Trout Creek Ranger Station
For contact information visit our forest offices webpage.
Related
- US Forest Service History
Federal forest management dates back to 1876 when Congress created the office of Special Agent in the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assess the quality and conditions of forests in the United States.
- US Forest Service Northern Region
Visit the Forest Service Northern Region website to learn more about the Forests and Grassland within the region.
- Kootenai Special Places
The Kootenai National Forest is home to some special places that are popular with visitors - Kootenai Forest Plan
Forest Plans set desired conditions, standards, and guidelines for management, protection, and use of the Forest.