Kootenai National Forest

The 2.2 million acre Kootenai National Forest is located in the extreme northwest corner of Montana, bordered on the north by Canada and on the west by Idaho.  Of the total acres, 50,384 are in the state of Idaho.  The Whitefish Range, Purcell Moutains, Bitterroot Range, Salish Mountains, and Cabinet Mountains are all part of the rugged terrain radiating from the river valleys.  Snowshoe Peak in the Cabinet Mountains is the highest point in the Forest at 8738 feet.  Recreationists will find may miles of backcountry roads available to access the Forest.  Some areas are closed to motorized vehicles in order to protect wildlife and watersheds.  The Forest is dominated by two major rivers, the Kootenai and Clark Fork, along with several smaller rivers.  Wildlife that are common include deer, elk, moose and bear.  Trees native to the Forest include western red cedar, western hemlock, western white pine, lodgepole pine, alpine larch, western larch, mountain hemlock, grand fir, subalpine fir, whitebark pine, Douglas-fir, Englemann spruce and juniper. The Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, which contains 94,272 acres, is located with the Kootenai Forest and is home to mountain lion and grizzly bear. 

Contacts:

Kootenai National Forest Headquarters
506 U.S. Highway 2 West
Libby, MT 59923
(406)- 293-6211
http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/kootenai/  

Kootenai Ranger Districts:

• Cabinet
  2693 Hwy. 200
  Trout Creek, MT 59874
  (406) 827-3533
  

• Fortine
  P.O. Box  116 Hwy 935
  Fortine, MT 59918
  (406) 882-4451
  

• Libby
  12557 Hwy. 37
  Libby, MT 59923
  (406) 293-7773
  

• Rexford
  1299 Hwy. 93 N
  Eureka, MT 59917
  (406) 296-2536
  

• Three Rivers
  1437 N. Hwy 2
  Troy, MT 59935
  (406) 295-4693
  

Kootenai National Forest Issues and Projects