Kootenai National Forest: Difference between revisions

'''Kootenai National Forest''' is located in the far northwestern section of [[Montana]] and the northeasternmost lands in the [[Idaho]] panhandle, [[United States]] along the [[Canada|Canadian]] border. Of the 2.2 million acres (9,000&nbsp;km²) administered by the forest, less than 3 percent is located in the state of Idaho. Forest headquarters are located in [[Libby, Montana]]. There are local [[National Park Ranger|ranger]] district offices in [[Eureka, Montana|Eureka]], [[Fortine, Montana|Fortine]], [[Libby, Montana|Libby]], [[Trout Creek, Montana|Trout Creek]], and [[Troy, Montana|Troy]].<ref>[http://www.ufwda.org/pdfs/USDAForestServiceRangerDistricts.pdf USFS Ranger Districts by State]</ref> The 93,000 acre (375&nbsp;km²) [[Cabinet Mountains Wilderness]] area is located within the forest. [[Wilderness]] designation prohibits [[motor vehicle|motorized]] and [[machine|mechanical]] travel, including [[bicycle]]s and eliminates [[forestry|logging]], [[mining]], [[road]] and or [[building]] construction.

 

 

The [[Kootenay River|Kootenai]] and the [[Clark Fork (river)|Clark Fork river]] are the major rivers and are fed by abundant rainfall that is more than double that amount found elsewhere in Montana. Three major [[hydroelectric]] [[dam]]s exist in the Kootenai National Forest with Libby Dam on the Kootenai river creating a 90 mile (145&nbsp;km) long lake known as [[Lake Koocanusa]] (a play on Kootenai-Canada-United States of America), which extends into Canada. The shores of the lake are all forest land with no private property easements. The lowest elevation in Montana is where the Kootenai River leaves the state (1,832 feet/ 560 m). Other rivers in the forest include the [[Yaak River|Yaak]], Fisher, Tobacco and Vermillion, with water flowing from over 100 [[lake]]s.