Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest

About Us

Photo above: Grand Vista turnout on the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway. Saddleback Mountain and Comet Mountain in the background.

History

Straddling the Continental Divide and covering much of southwest Montana, the 3.3 million acre Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest came into existence on February 2, 1996, when the Forest Service merged the Beaverhead and the Deerlodge National Forests into one administrative unit.

President Theodore Roosevelt first proclaimed the Beaverhead and Deerlodge National Forests in two separate executive orders on July 1, 1908, pulling together lands which earlier presidents had withdrawn as the Hell Gate, Bitter Root, and Big Hole forest reserves between 1897 and 1905. In 1931, the Madison National Forest became part of the Beaverhead and Deerlodge National Forests. In 1945, the west slope of the Madison Range was transferred from the Gallatin National Forest to the Beaverhead National Forest.

The name "Beaver's Head" first appeared in Lewis and Clark's journals in 1805. That year the two captains of the Corps of Discovery passed by the prominent rock shaped like swimming beaver during their trek to the Pacific.

 

Photo above: The Beaverhead Rock northeast of Dillon.

 

Sacajawea identified the rock as the spot where they would meet her people. Later, the river flowing past the rock was named after it. The Beaverhead River is a major tributary of the Jefferson fork of the Missouri. Beaverhead Rock is located 14 miles northeast of Dillon along Highway 41.

The name "Deer Lodge" comes from the Deer Lodge Mound, a 40-foot-high geothermal formation at the site of present-day Warm Springs State Hospital. The mound's shape, with steam issuing from the top, resembled a large medicine lodge, and minerals in the water attracted large numbers of deer, so Indians in the area referred to the then-prominent landmark as the Deer Lodge. The formation was a major landmark for trappers and early travelers in the area who referred to the valley as the Deer Lodge Plain. The mound was described in detail in the journals of Father DeSmet, Granville Stuart, and others. It is still visible from I-90, though now obscured somewhat by trees and buildings.

Maps

 

Detailed, Forestwide Map (pdf)

What is the Forest Service?

The Forest Service is a federal agency, established in the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1905 (link opens a new window), that manages public land in the National Forests and Grasslands. The Forest Service is also the largest forestry research organization in the world, and provides technical and financial assistance to state forestry agencies.

Congress established the National Forest system at the turn of the century, to provide quality water and timber for the nation's benefit. Over the years, the public has expanded what they want from National Forests. Congress responded by directing the Forest Service to manage National Forests for additional multiple uses and benefits, including outdoor recreation, wildlife and fish habitat, minerals, archaeologic and historic resources, and wilderness.

National Forests are America's Great Outdoors. They encompass 191 million acres of land, which is an area equivalent to the size of Texas. National Forests provide opportunities for recreation in open spaces and natural environments. With more and more people living in urban areas, National Forests are becoming more important and valuable to Americans. People enjoy a wide variety of activities on National Forests, from backpacking in remote, unroaded wilderness, to mastering an ATV over a challenging trail, to enjoying the views along a scenic byway, or fishing a great trout stream.

The job of Forest Service managers is to help all these people share the forest in ways most beneficial over the long run for people and the environment. Some activities are compatible, some are not . You, as a concerned citizen play a key role. By expressing your views to Forest Service managers, you will help them balance all of these uses to make decisions in the best interest of the forest and the people.

This homepage is here to help you make that first contact with the Forest Service. It describes how the agency is organized, where offices are located, and who is the best person for you to contact. It describes some programs specifically designed to enable people such as yourself to directly manage you National Forests.

Who Should I Talk To?

The best place to start if you have a question or want to get involved is at the Ranger District. Most of the day-to-day decisions and short-term planning occur at this level. The Forest Service is a decentralized agency, which means much of the decision-making authority is delegated to District Rangers. District Rangers and their staff, are the ones who can put your suggestions to use or respond to a complaint.

If you have talked to your District Ranger and can't work out a problem in good faith, your next contact should be with the Forest Supervisor. The Forest Supervisor is also the person to talk with about Forest plans, or about situations that involve several Ranger Districts.

Contacting a Regional Forester or the Chief is generally only effective if you have exhausted all means to resolve differences locally. Most decisions about actions on the land occur below these two levels, so your ideas and suggestions are best expressed to a District Ranger or Forest Supervisor.

How To Be Effective In Working With The Forest Service

People have the right to express their opinions to the Forest Service. There are some things you can do to express your opinions more effectively during planning.

• Join a club or organize a club to promote your favorite recreation area.
• Within the club, develop a common vision or goal for what you want to happen on the National Forest or Ranger District.
• Share your vision with the land manager.
• Be reasonable, courteous, and cooperative when dealing with the land manager AND with other members of the public, even when their goals differ from yours.
• Volunteer your club's time to help the land manager. Many clubs do trail maintenance, trail construction, and spend time educating other recreationalists about responsible behavior. Undertaking a project not directly connected with your sport, such as litter clean-up along a road, can gain your club a lot of good press and good will in the community.
• Remember the National Forests are managed for a wide variety of resources and uses, as well as protection of the environment.
• The land manager must balance your desires with the needs of other people.

Information for Landowners Living Next to the National Forest