Colville National Forest
Tucked up into the northeastern corner of
Washington, the Colville National Forest is
where the dry desert of Washington's middle
gives way to the far western foothills of the Rocky
Mountains. The forest's two north-south-oriented
mountain ranges, the Kettles and Selkirks, are
mellow, rounded peaks rather than typical Rocky
Mountain crags; they've been gradually ground
down by the ebb and flow of yesteryear's glacial
ice sheets.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Colville National Forest Website, 2003
Deschutes National Forest
From the Cascade Mountains on its western
order to the high desert country east of Bend,
the Deschutes National Forest radiates variety.
The 1.6 million-acre Deschutes National Forest
is one of the most popular forests in the Pacific
Northwest because of its variety of recreational
opportunities. The forest features the Newberry
National Volcanic Monument with its Lava Lands
Visitor Center, the Lava Butte Observatory, and
Lava River Cave.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Fremont National Forest
The Fremont National Forest is located east of the
Cascade Mountains in the high-elevation lava tablelands
of south-central Oregon. The Forest covers 1.2 million acres and is
gentle to moderate terrain commonly called "high
desert country". Ecosystems range from near-desert to
lush coniferous forests. Abundant stands of fir occur at
higher, north-facing elevations. Drought-tolerant tree
species such as juniper and ponderosa pine live in the
Forest as well as white fir and lodgepole pine.
Recreation opportunities are plentiful.
The Oregon-California border
marks the Forest's
southern boundary, while its eastern
boundary includes part of the Warner Range.
To the north and west it is
bounded by the Deschutes and
Winema National Forests.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
The Gifford Pinchot National Forest is located in
southwest Washington State. The 1.4 million-acre
forest includes the dramatic 110,000-acre
Mount St. Helens National Monument which
features centuries-old eruptions of pumice and
lava, lava tubes and caves along its southern
flank. The Northwest Forest Pass is needed at
trailheads such as the Trail of Two Forests
Trailhead where you can explore a quarter-mile of
rock outcroppings and alpine vegetation along a
barrier-free boardwalk interpretive trail.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Inyo National Forest
Located in California's beautiful Eastern Sierra, the Inyo National Forest offers clean air, crystal blue skies, mountain lakes and streams, challenging trails, high mountain peaks, and beautiful views. With over two million acres, the Inyo National Forest is home to many natural wonders, including Mount Whitney, Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes Basin, and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, as well as seven Congressionally-designated Wildernesses, comprising over 650,000 acres of land.
The northern part of the Inyo National Forest is dominated by the Mono Basin and Mono Lake, located near the town of Lee Vining. Mono Lake is a majestic body of water covering 60 square miles: 13 miles east-west by 8 miles north-south. It is an ancient lake (over 700,000 years old) and is one of the oldest lakes in North America. Mono Lake is two and a half times as salty as seawater. To protect the outstanding geologic, ecological and scenic resources of Mono Basin, Congress has designated it as the Mono Basin National Scenic Area.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2004
Klamath National Forest
The Klamath National Forest covers an area of 1,700,000 acres located in Siskiyou County, Northern California and Jackson County, Oregon. The forest comprises some five wilderness areas, Marble Mountain, Russian Wilderness Area, Trinity Alps, Red Buttes Wilderness Area and Siskiyou Wilderness Area. For breathtaking panoramic views (including Mt. Shasta) take the time to climb to the top of any ridge. Pristine alpine and glacial lakes with granite backdrops make peaceful, quiet camping places after long hikes.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2004
Lassen National Forest
The Lassen National Forest lies at the heart of one of the
most fascinating areas of California, called the Crossroads.
Here the granite of the Sierra Nevada, the lava of the
Cascades and the Modoc Plateau, and the sagebrush of
the Great Basin meet and blend.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Malheur National Forest
The 1.4 million-acre Malheur National Forest is
located in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon
where visitors can find diverse landscapes of grass
and sage, juniper, forests of pine, fir and other tree
species. Alpine lakes and meadows cap the forest
at high elevations.The Strawberry Mountain range
extends east to west through the center of the
Forest. Scenic drives along forest roads offer great
opportunities for picking wildflowers or just simply
taking in the spectacular views. Hikers and
horseback riders have more than 200 miles of trail to
enjoy.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Modoc National Forest
The Modoc National Forest is located in the northeastern corner of California. The forest is named for the county in which the greater part of the forest is situated. The county, in turn, is named after the warlike Indian tribe, the Modocs, who fought at the lava beds from 1872-1873. The lava beds are a national monument located within the boundaries of the forest.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2004
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Breath-taking adventures await visitors to
western Washington's Mount Baker-Snoqualmie
National Forest. Here, the North Cascades
Mountains -- with their glacier-covered
volcanoes, mountain meadows and old-growth
forests -- present spectacular recreational
opportunities. These rugged mountains were
carved by ice-age glaciers. Today, hundreds of
still-active glaciers, streams, rivers, and
waterfalls are actively recreating the landscape
within a short drive from Seattle and most cities
along the Puget Sound .
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Mount Hood National Forest
The Mount Hood National Forest is located
in the Cascades Mountain Range of Oregon,
a bout 50 miles east of Portland. The forest
features the Timberline Lodge, a National
Historic Landmark, at the top of Mount Hood,
the highest peak in Oregon. Wagon ruts can
still be seen in the "Barlow Road Section" of
the Pacific Crest Trail where a wagon train
"tollgate" was built in 1846 by landowner and
entrepreneur, Sam Barlow. The Pacific Crest
Trail is one of more than 1,000 miles of hiking
trails in the forest.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Ochoco National Forest
The Ochoco National Forest and Crooked
River National Grassland are located at the
geographic center of the state of Oregon. The
national forest is noted for its pine forests, the
Grassland for its sagebrush and juniper. This
high desert has picturesque "rimrock" vantage
points, deep canyons, and other unique geologic
landforms. Rock hounding is also popular
because of the geology of the area. Forest roads
lead to several sites containing semi-precious
quartz-family stones, such as thunder eggs,
agates, jasper, limb casts, and petrified wood.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Okanogan National Forest
The 1,706,000-acre Okanogan National Forest is
located in northern Washington. Vegetation in the
forest varies with grass and shrubs in the lowest
elevations near the Columbia River, the beautiful
ponderosa pine in the mid-elevations, the Douglas
fir forests in the Cascade Mountains, and the sub-alpine
and alpine zones at elevations above 6,000
feet.
The area is famous for its mule deer herds
and sports fisheries in the many lakes and miles
of streams.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Olympic National Forest
Olympic National Forest is synonymous with
the Olympic Peninsula -- a 6,500-square-mile
area of complex, winding ridges, rugged and
precipitous mountains, deep canyons and tree-covered
slopes. The Forest receives over 1.2
million visitors annually. There are 201 miles
of trails, several providing access to Olympic
National Park. Five wildernesses on the Forest
totaling 88,481 acres provide solitude and
scenic beauty where the only access is by foot
or horseback.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Rogue River National Forest
The Rogue River National Forest in southwest
Oregon is composed of two separate units of
land, each with its own mosaic of diverse terrain
and vegetation. The west unit is where the
headwaters of the Applegate River flow from the
ancient and complex geology of the Siskiyou
Mountains. Here grow a wide variety of forests
from oak woodlands to dense conifer forests. The
east unit contains the upper reaches of the
Rogue River in the young, volcanic Cascade
Range. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail
runs the entire length of the Forest.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Shasta-Trinity National Forests
The Shasta-Trinity National Forest (part of the Pacific Southwest Region) is located in the central part of Northern California between the interior Coast Range on the west and the Cascade Range on the east. Elevations range from 1,000 feet along the southern and eastern edges of the Forest to 14,162 feet at the summit of Mount Shasta. The Shasta National Forest was established in 1905 and the Trinity National Forest in 1907 by proclamations of President Theodore Roosevelt. The two Forests were combined into one administrative unit in 1954.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2004
Siskiyou National Forest
The Siskiyou National Forest is a botanist's
paradise. The one million-acre forest, located in
southwest Oregon, has an unusually large
number of rare plants. The Siskiyou National
Forest is noted for campgrounds located in
quiet, scenic areas. The Forest contains over
600 miles of trails that are designed to
accommodate a variety of trail use ranging from
hikers to horse riders. The 42-mile Upper Rogue
River Trail follows the Rogue River and features
picturesque vistas and wildlife viewing
opportunities.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Siuslaw National Forest
The Siuslaw National Forest is located in the
Coast Mountain Range of Oregon, extending
from Tillamook to Coos Bay. Here, dense
Douglas-fir forests here are framed by lush,
green vegetation and miles of sand dunes.
Activities for visitors include beachcombing,
crabbing, fishing, hiking, boating, hunting and
sand dune touring. Cape Perpetua and its
visitor center are highlights along the Pacific
Coast Trail.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Tahoe National Forest
The Tahoe National Forest straddles the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountains in northern California, and encompasses a vast territory, from the golden foothills on the western slope to the high peaks of the Sierra crest. The Forest is bordered on the north by the Plumas National Forest, on the south by the Eldorado National Forest, on the east by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. On the western border are the foothills above the great Sacramento Valley.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2004
Umatilla National Forest
Umatilla is an Indian word meaning "water
rippling over sands." The Umatilla National
Forest is located in the Blue Mountains of
southeast Washington and northeast Oregon.
It covers l.4 million acres of diverse
landscapes and plant communities. The
Forest has some mountainous terrain, but
most of the Forest consists of v-shaped
valleys separated by narrow ridges or
plateaus. The landscape also includes heavily
timbered slopes, grassland ridges and
benches, and bold basalt outcroppings.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Umpqua National Forest
The Umpqua National Forest reaches from the
summit of the Cascade Mountain range westward
to the coastal lowlands. The forest comprises nearly
a million acres in southwestern Oregon and is named
after the Umpqua Indians who once sustained their
lives fishing the forest's streams and hunting in its
wooded hills. Recreation opportunities vary from
major attractions like nearby Crater Lake National
Park, the North Umpqua Wild and Scenic River,
and Diamond Lake, to secluded waterfalls and
quiet retreats like Skookum Lake or Yasko Falls.
There are more than 390 miles of maintained
hiking trails in the forest.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is the setting
for year-around recreation. In winter you can enjoy
downhill and cross-country skiing and snowmobiling
at many areas of the forest, including Anthony Lakes
Ski Area, 40 miles northwest of Baker. Hells Canyon
is beautiful in the springtime. There you.ll want to
enjoy the 2,000 miles of hiking trails, white-water
boating, mild temperatures and colorful wildflowers.
You can spend your summers fishing and swimming
in the forest.s many lakes, rivers, streams and
reservoirs.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Wenatchee National Forest
The Wenatchee National Forest covers 2.1
million acres and stretches from upper Lake
Chelan on the north to the Yakima Indian
Reservation on the south. The Forest is divided
into six ranger district areas, each with its own
character. Ecosystems here vary with the
elevation -- from sagebrush and pine covered
slopes at 2,000 feet to alpine fir and mountain
huckleberry at higher elevations. The boat ride
along Lake Chelan can provide opportunities to
view mountain goats, eagles, black bear and
other wildlife.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Willamette National Forest
East of Eugene, the Willamette National Forest
stretches for 110 miles along the western slopes
of the Cascades. The forest is 1.6 million acres in
size with a diverse landscape shaped by glaciers,
volcanoes and tectonic plates. The Collier
Glacier, Oregon's largest glacier, is found in the
forest. There are 1,400 miles of trails that weave
through the mountain peaks, rock pinnacles and
lava fields, craters and cinder cones of ancient
volcanoes. There are over 80 campgrounds and
picnic sites on the Forest.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Winema National Forest
The 1.1 million-acre Winema National Forest is
located in south central Oregon on the eastern
slopes of the Cascade Mountain Range and
adjacent to vast marshes protected as national
wildlife refuges. The area is best known for its
clear skies, sunshine, and diverse landscape of
marshes and lakes to forested slopes and wide
basins. The Forest is named for a heroine of
the Modoc War of 1872. Wi-Ne-ma, meaning
"Woman of a Brave Heart" served as an
interpreter and peacemaker between U.S. troops
and the Modocs saving many lives.
-- information courtesy U.S. Forest Service Websites, 2002
Select National Forest Location Maps
[Map,19K,InlineGIF] Washington and Oregon National Forests -- including Mount Rainier and Crater Lake National Parks, Map courtesy USFS, modified by CVO
[Map,33K,InlineGIF] California National Forests -- including Lassen Volcanic National Park, Map courtesy USFS, modified by CVO
URL for CVO HomePage is:
<http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/home.html>
URL for this page is:
<http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Servers/usfs_servers.html>
If you have questions or comments please contact:
<GS-CVO-WEB@usgs.gov>
08/11/04, Lyn Topinka
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