The Malheur National Forest is a National Forest in the U.S. state of Oregon. It contains more than in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. The forest consists of high desert grasslands, sage, juniper, pine, fir, and other tree species. Elevations vary from about to the peak of Strawberry Mountain. The Strawberry Mountains extend east to west through the center of the forest. U.S. Route 395 runs south to north through the forest, while U.S. Route 26 runs east to west.
Overview
The forest was established by President Theodore Roosevelt on June 13, 1908, and is named after the Malheur River, from the French, meaning "misfortune". It is managed by the United States Forest Service for timber extraction, cattle grazing, gold mining and wilderness use. A 1993 Forest Service study estimated that the extent of old growth in the forest was .
In descending order of land area, the forest is located in parts of Grant, Harney, Baker, and Malheur counties. There are three ranger districts in the forest, with offices in John Day, Prairie City, and Hines.
Armillaria - largest organism on earth
The Malheur National Forest contains the largest known organism (by area) in the world: an Armillaria ostoyae (fungus) that spans and is located high on a ridgeline immediately west of Clear Creek ().
Wilderness
There are two wilderness areas in the Malheur National Forest.
Strawberry Mountain Wilderness at
Monument Rock Wilderness at , located partially within the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest
Climate
The hottest temperature recorded in the Malheur National Forest was on July 23, 2003, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 22–23, 1962.
See also
Vinegar Hill-Indian Rock Scenic Area, a high-elevation scenic area in the northeast portion of the forest Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, a federally protected refuge to the south of the forest