This is the twenty-sixth diary in my Expanding the National Parks System series. Links to previous diaries are located at the bottom of this diary under "Prior Diaries". This week I'm in Montana, sometimes called the "Treasure State'. Montana is the 4th largest state in area , at slightly under 150000 miles in area, only Alaska, Texas and California are bigger. 29.9% of Montana is federally owned, less than many Western states and good for 12th nationally in that measure. Currently Montana has 2 national parks, 3 national monuments, 9 national forests, 21 wildlife refuges and 6 historic sites and other NPS Units. I will be proposing adding 5 more monuments to Montana's tally.
Montana
Total Area 147 040 sq miles
Land Area 145 546 sq miles
Water Area 1 496 sq miles
Coastline 0 miles
Additional monuments-5
ADDITIONAL MONUMENTS-5
* Flathead
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
the Bob Marshall wilderness, part of the forest, is shown above
Would covert half the existing national forest to monument status, including the 1 million acres currently set aside as wilderness. The area was proposed as a national park in 1937, monument status is easier to attain and and is just as permanent. Estimated area 1.2 million acres-1875 sq miles, nearly the size of Delaware
* Rimrocks
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
Sacrifice Cliff, part of the Rimrocks, is shown above
Would designate the formations surrounding Billings Montana as a national monument. the area was first proposed for inclusion in the NPS in 1970, although action was never taken. Estimated area 200000 acres- roughly 300 sq miles
* Rocky Mountain Front
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
The Front is shown from the air in the Above photo
Would convert lands held by the Forest Service and BLM in the area into a monument. Monument status would only apply to lands in the US- The Front stretches into Wyoming and Colorado as well as British Colombia and Alberta.
Estimated area 500000 acres(in MT, CO &WY- roughly 780 sq miles
* Montana Grasslands
Would create an trans-border park (Similar to Glacier-Waterton) connecting with Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan, and protecting close to 500000 acres between the two areas of prairie and grasslands. Estimated area 275000 acres- roughly 430 sq miles
* Big Horn Canyon
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
Part of the canyon is covered in snow in the above photo
Would upgrade the existing recreational area to monument status and would expand to cover all of Bighorn Lake as well as areas surrounding the Canyon. Estimated area 250000 acres- roughly 390 sq miles (in MT and WY)
EXISTING AREAS
NATIONAL PARKS-2
* Glacier Established 1910 Covers 1,013,322 acres Budget $13,190,000 (2008)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
St Mary Lake, one of the largest lakes in the park, is shown above
Named after the glaciers that existed in the area at the time of its discovery, Glacier is the largest national park in the state and was Montana's representative in the National Park Quarter series, it was the second quarter released in 2011. Named a World Heritage site in 1995, Glacier owes its creation to efforts by the Great Northern Railway and the Boone and Crockett Club to seta aside the area for tourism and preservation. A number of the hotels built by the railroad in the parks early years are still in existence and were designated as national historic landmarks. During the Depression, the CCC helped develop both Glacier and Yellowstone by building campgrounds and trails as well as reforesting the parks. While none of the park is officially wilderness, 93% is managed as wilderness by the Park Service. 1.85 million people visited the park in 2011.
* Yellowstone Established 1872 Covers 2,219,791 acres (in ID, MT and WY)
The oldest national park in the system, Yellowstone only covers a small portion of Idaho and Montana, the vast majority of the park lies in Wyoming. One of the most famous and visited of the national parks, Yellowstone is home to the Yellowstone supervolcano, which underlies the park, as well as half of the worlds geothermal features. the oldest herd of bison existing in the US today lives in the park, as well as gray wolves, lynx, black bears, mountain lions and up to 60 other species of animals.1700 species of trees and plants reside in Yellowstone, the largest intact megafauna region in the US outside Alaska. Forest fires are a regular occurrence, a large fire in 1988 burned nearly a third of the park. As the first park, Yellowstone set many precedents for future parks, and remains one of the largest parks. it was managed by the Army until 1918, when it was transferred to the then-new National Park Service . The CCC worked extensively in Yellowstone during the 1930s, doing projects like reforestation, firefighting, trail construction, and designing campgrounds. Nearly 3.4 million people visited the park in 2012.
NATIONAL MONUMENTS-3
* Little Bighorn Battlefield Established 1879 Covers 765 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
the cemetery portion of the monument is shown above
First set aside in 1879 as a National Cemetery to protect the graves of the US 7th Calvary who died at the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn, the area was transferred from the War Department to the Park Service in 1940 and designated as a monument ( as Custer Battlefield NM) in 1946. the monument was renamed to its current name in 1991. The battle is widely considered to be the most crushing military defeat for the US Army over the course of the Indian Wars that resulted in much of the West being opened for eastern settlement. markers have been added to mark where soldiers on both sides fell in the battle, at or near where their bodies were found. the monument also includes areas associated with a later campaign led by Marcus Reno and Frederick Benteen, who served under Custer at the Battle. Over 300000 people visited the monument in 2011.
* Pompeys Pillar Established 2001 Covers 51 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
The outcropping of Pompeys Pillar is shown above
Designated as a 'midnight monument' by President Clinton in 2001, Pompeys Pillar is one of the smallest monuments in the system at just 51 acres. named after Sacagawea's young son Pomp by Captain William Clark, who inscribed his name on the stone while stopped there in 1806.Pompey means ' little chief' in the Shoshone language. Clarks inscription is the only direct evidence of the route he and Lewis took during this stage of their expedition. Originally named Pompeys Tower, it was changed to its current name in 1814. it was places on the National Historic Landmark list in 1965, and upgraded to monument by Clinton. 50000 people visited the monument in 2002.
* Upper Missouri River Breaks Established 2001 Covers 495502 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
The Breaks, as seen from the river
The largest of Montanas three existing monument, Upper Missouri River Breaks was created as midnight monument by President Clinton in 2001. the Breaks was first documented by the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805, and thanks to the monument designation, most of the area has remained as it was at the time of the expedition. the monument contains inholdings of nearly 82000 acres of private land, and 38000 acres of land owned by Montana. Over 60000 people visited the monument in 2002.
NATIONAL FORESTS-9
* Beaverhead Established 1905 Covers 3,357,826 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
Lemhi Pass, part of the national forest, is shown above
The Largest of Montana's 9 national forests, Beaverhead-Deerlodge was created as reserves in 1905, then upgraded to forests in 1908. the forests were merged into a single unit in 1996. the forest is split into 9 separate sections. portions of two wilderness areas covering 400000 acres lie within the forest.
* Bitterroot Established 1898 Covers 1,587,070 acres ( in MT and ID)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
Trapper Peak, part of the Bitterroot NF, is shown above
Originally established as the Bitterroot Forest Reserve in 1898, Bitteroot originally covered more than 4 million acres at its establishment. Much of the forest area was given to other national forests such as Beaverhead, Nez Perce and Salmon, and after other various land exchanges the forest reached its current size of nearly 1.6 million acres.
* Custer Established 1908 Covers 1,188,130 acres (in MT and SD)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
A mountain goat passes in front of Granite Peak, part of the forest, in the above photo
The Second-smallest of Montana's 9 national forests(only Helena is smaller), Custer was originally established as Otter NF in 1907 then renamed to Custer in 1908.the forest increased in size through absorbing all or parts of other national forests until it reached its current size in the 1930s. the forest is split into 10 different sections- most of them in Montana, although some stretch into South Dakota.In all all but 70000 acres of the forest lies within Montana.Nearly 350000 acres of the forest in wilderness.
* Flathead Established 1897 Covers 2,404,935 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
A bridge spans Bear Creek in the above photo
The second largest NF in the state, at over 2.4 million acres, Flathead borders Glacier NP as well as several of the other NFs. Nearly half of the forest is wilderness, and forest contains nearly 300000 acres of state land, containing parts of 3 state forests. the forest itself is split into 5 districts( Glacier View, Hungry Horse, Spotted Bear, Swan Lake and Tally Lake).
* Gallantin Established 1899 Covers 1,819,515 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
An Entrance sign to the forest is shown above
Named after Treasury Secretary Henry Gallantin, the forest contains 2 large wilderness areas and contain portions of 6 different mountain ranges. Granite Peak, the highest point in Montana at 12,799 feet lies in the forest. over 4000 miles of streams and rivers pass through the forest.
* Helena Established 1906 Covers 984,558 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
a map of the forest and its districts is shown above
The smallest forest in the state at just under 1 million acres,Helena contains parts of the Bob Marshall wilderness and Gates of the Mountain wilderness, and split into 3 districts(Helena, Lincoln, and Townsend).
* Kootenai Established 1907 Covers 2,200,000 acres (in ID and MT)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
the Ranger station in Murphy Lake is shown above
Lying nearly completely in Montana (only 3%, about 50000 acres, is in Idaho), Kootenai, is the third-largest national forest in the state, just 2000 acres larger than Lolo NF. the forest is home to 2 major rivers, the Kootenai and the Clark Fork, as well as 3 hydroelectric dams.
* Lewis and Clark Established 1897 Covers 1,863,788 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
a view of the forest is seen above
Named after famed explorers who explored the expanse of the Louisiana Purchase, the forest was first established as a preserve in 1897, before becoming a forest in 1907. Various territory additions occurred over the next forty years, and the Forest is now the fifth-largest in acreage in the state. the forest is divided into two divisions, the Rocky Mountain division to the west, and Jefferson to the east.
* Lolo Established 1906 Covers 2,197,966 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
a map of Lolo forest is above
one of 4 NFs in the state covering over 2 million acres, Lolo contains 4 wilderness areas, and consists of 5 districts(Missoula, Ninemile,Plains/Thompson, Seeley Lake and Superior). the forest was created from merging 4 previous forests together into a single unit, lands were added on periodically until 1954. Lolo comes from Lou Lou a pronunciation of Lawrence, which was the name of a fur trapper that was attacked and killed by a bear in what is now the forest, the mentions of Lolo date back at least 1831.
WILDLIFE REFUGES-21
* Benton Lake Established 1929 Covers 12459 acres
Established by President Hoover, Benton Lake is the centerpiece of the Benton Lake complx, which includes 3 conservations areas -the 100000 acre Blackfoot Valley CA, the 900000 acres Rocky Mountain Front CA, and the 187000 acre Swan Valley CA- the Benton Lake WMD, and the Swam River WR. to date the complex covers over 160000 acres, although additional land is being purchased in both the WRs and CAs. The Lake is actually a wetland created by glaciers during the las Ice Age and covers over 6000 acres
* Black Coulee Established 1938 Covers 1308 acres
One of the smallest refuges in the state, Black Coulee is managed by Bowdoin WR and is currently unstaffed. Located near the border with Canada the refuge is also part of the Bowdoin WMD.
* Bowdoin Established 1936 Covers 15551 acres
previously managed by the Bureau of Land Reclamation, Bowdoin was turned onto a refuge and transferred to the FWS in 1936. Located on both the Central of Pacific Flyways, the refuge is a transition point for birds heading east and west. 25000 people visited the refuge in 2013.
* Charles M Russell Established 1936 Covers 915,814 acres
Originally established as the Fort Peck Game Refuge in 1936, the refuge was renamed after famed American painter Charles M Russell in 1963, and officially was renamed a refuge in 1976. By far the largest refuge in Montana at over 900000 acres, it is the second largest refuge in the lower 48, behind Nevada's 1.6 million acres Desert WR. 250000 people visited in 2010.
* Creedman Coulee Established 1941 Covers 2728 acres
Part of the Bowdoin WMD, the refuge consists mostly of a 2600 acre easement, with only 80 acres being federally owned. the refuge is managed by Bowdoin WR and is unstaffed.
* Hailstone Established 1980 Covers 2700 acres
managed by Charkes M Russell WR and part of its complex, Hailstone consists mostly of Hailstone Lake and its surroundings. Hailstone is 5 miles NW of Halfbreed Lake WR.
* Halfbreed Lake Established 1942 Covers 4318 acres
Part of the Charles M Russell Complex, Halfbreed was established by FDR in 1942 but no land was assigned the refuge until 1987 when 3200 acres was added. the refuge now covers over 4000 acres.
* Hewitt Lake Established 1938 Covers 1360 acres
One of the states smallest refuges at under 1400 acres, Hewitt is unstaffed and is managed by Bowdoin WR as part of Bowdoin WMD.
* Lake Mason Established 1941 covers 16814 acres
Managed by Charles M Russell WR, Lake Mason is divided into three sections-Lake Mason, North, and Willow Creek- and is home to over 100 bird species.
* Lake Thibadeau Established 1937 Covers 3868 acres
One of several unstaffed refuges managed by Bowdoin WR,Lake Thibadeau is mostly a conservation easement, with only a small area being owned by the government outright.
* Lamesteer Established 1942 Covers 800 acres
The smallest refuge in the state, Lamesteer is named after the creek that runs through it and empties into the nearby Lamesteer Reservoir. Most of the land is an easement managed with cooperation from landowners.
* Lee Metcalf Established 1964 Covers 2800 acres
Originally established as Ravalli WR in 1964, the refuge was renamed after former Montana Senator Lee Metcalf in 1978 after the senators passing earlier that year.
* Lost Trial Established 1999 Covers 8834 acres
The newest refuge in the state, Lost Trail is managed from the National Bison range,and consists of land that was once a horse and cattle ranch (called Lost Trial Ranch) that dated back to the 1800s. Today the refuge provides habitat for wolves, Great Horned Owls and Grizzly bears
* Medicine Lake Established 1935 Covers 31533 acres
The fourth largest refuge in the state, Medicine Lake is an Assiniboine word for the water of the lake -'bda wauka' or medicine water'. About a third of the refuge is wilderness, and nearly 300 species of birds are known to frequent the refuge.
* National Bison Range Established 1908 Covers 18800 acres
Set aside by President Teddy Roosevelt as a refuge for bison, the Bison Range is one of the oldest refuges in the country, and the oldest in Montana. currently between 350-500 bison live on the refuge although efforts are being made to increase that number. 250000 people visited the refuge in 2004 and the refuge marked its centennial in 2008.
* Ninepipe Established 1921 Covers 4027 acres
Managed from the National Bison Range, Ninepine lies on the Flathead Indian Reservation, and mostly consists of a reservoir, with abut 400 acres of land surrounding it.
* Pablo Established 1921 Covers 2473 acres
Like Ninepine, Pablo lies in the Flathead Indian Reservation, and consists mostly of a reservoir and its surroundings.Pablo is managed by the Bison Range.
* Red Rock Lakes Established 1932 Covers 65810 acres
The second largest refuge in the state (behind Charles M Russell WR), Red Rock Lakes was the focus of efforts to save the trumpeter swan from extinction. at the time the refuge was created in 1932, the swans numbers were below 200 in the US and Canada. the efforts to save the swan were successful, by 2002, more than 3000 Swans were counted within the refuge. the refuge was designated as a national natural Landmark in 1966 and in 1976 almost half the refuge (32000 acres) was designated as wilderness. 12000 people visit the refuge each year.
* Swan River Established 1973 Covers 1778 acres
Managed by the Lost Trial WR, Swan River is one of the smallest and youngest refuges in the state and is part of the Benton Lake WR Complex.
* UL Bend Established 1967 Covers 56040 acres
The third largest refuge in the state, UL Bend was established in 1976 and borders the Charles M Russell WR on three sides. Almost 21000 acres of the refuge are wilderness. The refuge is managed as part as the Charles Russell Complex.
* War Horse Established 1958 Covers 3392 acres
Divided into 3 units -War Horse Lake,Wild Horse lake, and Yellow Water Reservoir- the refuge is unstaffed and is managed by Charles M Russell WR.
HISTORIC SITES AND OTHER NPS UNITS-6
* Big Hole NB Established 1883 Covers 1010 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
A View of the battlefield is seen above
Set aside to conserve the battlefield connected with the Battle of Big Hole, which was the largest battle of the 1877 Nez Perce War. The area was declared a military reserve in 1883 then a national monument in 1910. the area was redesignated to its current moniker of battlefield in 1963 and was added to the Nez Perce Historical Park in 1992.36000 people visited in 2011.
* Bighorn Canyon NRA Established 1966 Covers 120296 acres (in MT and WY)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
Bighorn Lake, part of the recreational area, is shown above
Located on the Montana-Wyoming border, Big Horn Canyon consists of the areas around Bighorn Lake, which stretches into Wyoming. the area was set aside by Congress after the construction of Yellowtail Dam in the 1960s. overs 200000 people visited Bighorn canyon in 2011.
* Flathead WSR Established 1976 Covers 140160 acres
http://upload.wikimedia.org/...
the river flows near Perma, Montana in the above photo
the Wild and Scenic River conserves the Flathead river up to the border with Canada, including the North Fork (the part that stretches into Canada) , Middle Fork and South Fork. This WSR is the larger to the two rivers designated in the state and is jointly managed by the Park Service and Forest Service.
* Grant-Kohrs Ranch NHS Established 1972 Covers 1618 acres
Named after the men who ran the ranch for almost 50 years -Johnny Grant, who built the original ranch, and Conrad Kohrs who ran a major ranching operation into the 1920s. the ranch was listed as an historic landmark in 1960 then elevated in 1972 to an historic site. the ranch is operated by the Park Service as a working ranch, modeled on ranches from the 1890s. 17000 people visited the ranch in 2012.
* Missouri WSR Established 1976 Covers 95360 acres
this portion of the Missouri River lies within Upper Missouri River Breaks NM, and is managed by the Park Service is part of the monument.
* Nez Perce NHP Established 1965 Covers 4651 acres (in ID, MT OR and WA)
Consisting of 38 sites spread across 4 states, this NHP conseves areas associated with the Nez Perce War of 1877, and the attempted flight of the Nez Perce into Canada. the Perce were eventually captured the Us Army roughly 40 miles short of the Canadian border. Most of the sites in the park lie on the Nez Perce Reservation, 12 sites lie outside the reservations borders. Nearly 300000 people visited the park in 2011.
This Concludes my virtual wanderings through Montana. Next Time, I'll be in Nebraska, wandering the Nebraska Sandhills, and checking out what Omaha has to offer. As always Comments and input are Welcome.
Prior Diaries
1.Alabama
http://www.dailykos.com/...
2 Alaska
http://www.dailykos.com/...
3 Arizona
http://www.dailykos.com/...
4 Arkansas
http://www.dailykos.com/...
5 California
http://www.dailykos.com/...
6 Colorado
http://www.dailykos.com/...
7 Connecticut
http://www.dailykos.com/...
8 Delaware
http://www.dailykos.com/...
9 Florida
http://www.dailykos.com/...
10 Georgia
http://www.dailykos.com/...
11 Hawaii
http://www.dailykos.com/...
12 Idaho
http://www.dailykos.com/...
13 Illinois
http://www.dailykos.com/...
14 Indiana
http://www.dailykos.com/...
15 Iowa
http://www.dailykos.com/...
16 Kansas
http://www.dailykos.com/...
17 Kentucky
http://www.dailykos.com/...
18 Louisiana
http://www.dailykos.com/...
19 Maine
http://www.dailykos.com/...
20 Maryland
http://www.dailykos.com/...
21 Massachusetts
http://www.dailykos.com/...
22 Michigan
http://www.dailykos.com/...
23 Minnesota
http://www.dailykos.com/...
24 Mississippi
http://www.dailykos.com/...
25 Missouri
http://www.dailykos.com/...