Helena National Forest
| Helena National Forest | |
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IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)
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Gates of the Mountains wilderness area, Helena National Forest
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| Location | Montana, USA |
| Nearest city | Helena, MT |
| Coordinates | 46°35′N 111°50′W / 46.583°N 111.833°WCoordinates: 46°35′N 111°50′W / 46.583°N 111.833°W |
| Area | 984,558 acres (3,984.36 km2) |
| Established | April 12, 1906 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| Website | Helena National Forest |
Helena National Forest is located in west-central Montana, in the United States. Covering 984,558 acres (3,984.36 km2), the forest is broken into several separate sections. The eastern regions are dominated by the Big Belt Mountains, and are the location of the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness, which remains much as it did when the Lewis and Clark Expedition passed through the region. The western sections have both the continental divide and the Scapegoat Wilderness area, which is part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex. The southern region includes the Elkhorn Mountains. The forest is composed of a mixture of grass and sagebrush covered lowlands with "island" pockets of lodgepole pine and more mountainous areas where Douglas fir, spruce and larch can be found. The rocky mountains in the region do not exceed 10,000 feet (3,000 m).
The grizzly bear has a sustained population in the northwestern section of the forest, especially in the Scapegoat Wilderness. Other predators such as wolves, bobcats, wolverines, mountain lions, and Canadian lynx are also presentBlack bears are numerous as are elk, moose, mule deer, and antelope. There are also small populations of bighorn sheep and mountain goats. Along streams and lakes, sightings of nesting bald eagles and otherraptors are becoming more common due to protection of these species and their vitally important waterways.
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