List of national forests of the United States facts for kids

Map of national forests and grasslands across the United States.

National forests are large areas of protected woodlands, mountains, and waterways across the United States. There are 154 national forests covering over 188,000,000 acres (760,000 km²), which is larger than the entire state of Texas! These public lands are managed by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Unlike national parks, which focus mainly on preserving scenic landscapes and historical sites, national forests follow a "multiple-use" rule. This means the land is used for many purposes at once. People visit them to hike, camp, fish, and ski. At the same time, the forests protect clean drinking water for nearby towns, provide natural habitats for wildlife, and allow regulated timber harvesting and cattle grazing.

History of the National Forest System

Early Conservation and Forest Reserves

During the late 1800s, many Americans became concerned that rapid logging and development were destroying the country's natural woodlands. In response, the United States Congress passed the Forest Reserve Act of 1891. This law allowed the President of the United States to protect public forest lands from private development.

The very first reserve created was the Yellowstone Park Timber and Land Reserve, set aside on March 30, 1891. In 1897, the Organic Act outlined why these reserves existed. Their main goals were to ensure a steady supply of timber, protect watersheds, and keep water flowing cleanly for surrounding communities.

Growth Under Theodore Roosevelt

President Theodore Roosevelt was a passionate conservationist who loved the outdoors. Together with Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the Forest Service, Roosevelt greatly expanded the system. In 1905, the Transfer Act of 1905 moved the management of these reserves from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture, officially creating the U.S. Forest Service.

By 1907, President Roosevelt had more than doubled the total area of protected forest land. Congress grew concerned over presidential power and passed a law requiring congressional approval to create new reserves in western states. Just before signing that bill, Roosevelt quickly designated millions of additional acres of "midnight forests."

Modern Management and the Weeks Act

In 1911, the Weeks Act allowed the federal government to buy private land in the eastern United States to protect river watersheds and restore cut-over woodlands. This is how many popular eastern forests, like the White Mountain and Pisgah forests, were born.

In 1960, Congress passed the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act. This law made it official policy that forests must be managed for outdoor recreation, range, timber, watersheds, and wildlife, while ensuring these natural resources last forever.

Geography and Natural Wonders

Where Are National Forests Located?

Almost every state has at least one national forest. In fact, 40 of the 50 states have them. The only ten states without a national forest are Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Rhode Island. However, Kansas and North Dakota have protected national grasslands.

Alaska contains the largest amount of national forest land, with over 21 million acres. California ranks second, followed closely by Idaho. In Idaho, national forests cover more than 38% of the entire state's total area. In the Caribbean, the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico is home to El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rainforest managed by the Forest Service.

Unique Habitats and Living Things

National forests protect an incredible variety of ecosystems:

• Temperate rainforests: The Tongass National Forest in southeastern Alaska is filled with towering ancient trees, salmon streams, and bald eagles.
• Alpine peaks: Rocky Mountain forests like San Isabel National Forest in Colorado contain famous fourteeners, which are mountain peaks over 14,000 feet tall.
• Deserts and sky islands: Forests such as Coronado National Forest in Arizona feature isolated mountain ranges rising out of arid deserts.
• Swamps and bayous: Forests in the Deep South, such as Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana, protect wetland hardwood groves and bald cypress trees.
• Giant trees: Sequoia National Forest in California is home to giant sequoias, the largest single living trees on Earth by volume.

Exploring the National Forests

The table below lists the national forests across the United States, highlighting their location, size, and special geographical features.

Name	Photo	Location	Area	Interesting Facts and Highlights
Allegheny	Allegheny Reservoir in autumn.	Pennsylvania	513,655 acres (2,079 km2)	Pennsylvania's only national forest includes the Kinzua Dam and large tracts of old-growth forest at Tionesta.
Angeles	The San Gabriel Mountains in Angeles National Forest.	California	661,565 acres (2,677 km2)	Located right beside Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains, reaching up to Mount San Antonio.
Angelina	Angelina Ranger Station.	Texas	154,140 acres (624 km2)	Filled with longleaf pine trees and home to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.
Apache–Sitgreaves	Scenic highlands along Route 191.	Arizona, New Mexico	2,626,306 acres (10,628 km2)	Features the famous Mogollon Rim and over 680 miles of rivers and mountain streams.
Apalachicola	A scenic pond in Apalachicola National Forest.	Florida	576,119 acres (2,331 km2)	Florida's largest national forest, known for deep sinkholes, caverns, and swamp ecosystems.
Arapaho	Golden aspen trees along Crooked Creek Road.	Colorado	720,418 acres (2,915 km2)	High in the Rocky Mountains, it features the highest paved road in North America up Mount Blue Sky.
Ashley	Kings Peak and Henry's Fork Basin.	Utah, Wyoming	1,378,424 acres (5,578 km2)	Home to Kings Peak, the highest mountain peak in the state of Utah at 13,528 feet.
Beaverhead–Deerlodge	Mountain streams in Beaverhead–Deerlodge.	Montana	3,362,638 acres (13,608 km2)	The largest national forest in Montana, crossing several major mountain ranges along the Continental Divide.
Bienville	Forest entrance marker.	Mississippi	180,251 acres (729 km2)	Located in central Mississippi, featuring untouched native grassland at the Harrell Prairie Botanical Area.
Bighorn	Mountain meadow in Wyoming.	Wyoming	1,105,311 acres (4,473 km2)	Located in north-central Wyoming, containing rugged peaks, mountain lodges, and the Cloud Peak Glacier.
Bitterroot	Lake Como with surrounding mountains.	Montana, Idaho	1,594,579 acres (6,453 km2)	Named after the pink-flowered bitterroot plant, which is also the state flower of Montana.
Black Hills	Horsethief Lake in the Black Elk Wilderness.	South Dakota, Wyoming	1,250,866 acres (5,062 km2)	Dominated by ponderosa pines; includes Black Elk Peak, the highest point east of the Rockies in the U.S.
Boise	Clear waters and river boulders in Boise National Forest.	Idaho	2,648,273 acres (10,717 km2)	Contains over 7,600 miles of flowing streams and more than 250 lakes and reservoirs.
Bridger–Teton	The Wind River Range near Lozier Lakes.	Wyoming	3,383,302 acres (13,692 km2)	Part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, containing 27 active glaciers in the Wind River Range.
Caribou–Targhee	Upper Mesa Falls.	Idaho, Wyoming, Utah	2,624,739 acres (10,622 km2)	Known for beautiful waterfalls like Upper Mesa Falls and vital habitat for wild grizzly bears.
Carson	Wheeler Peak viewed from Mount Walter.	New Mexico	1,486,372 acres (6,015 km2)	Includes Wheeler Peak, the highest mountain summit in New Mexico at 13,161 feet.
Chattahoochee–Oconee	Waterfall along Raven Cliffs Trail.	Georgia	866,763 acres (3,508 km2)	Contains the southern start of the famous Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain.
Chequamegon–Nicolet	Lakeside conifers in Wisconsin.	Wisconsin	1,523,704 acres (6,166 km2)	Features more than 2,000 freshwater lakes and extensive northern wetland areas.
Cherokee	South Fork of Citico Creek.	Tennessee, North Carolina	656,394 acres (2,656 km2)	Surrounds the Great Smoky Mountains and provides habitat for hundreds of bird and fish species.
Chippewa	Forested trail path in Minnesota.	Minnesota	671,952 acres (2,719 km2)	Home to one of the highest concentrations of nesting bald eagle pairs in the United States.
Chugach	Lost Lake surrounded by Alaskan mountains.	Alaska	5,419,095 acres (21,930 km2)	A massive subarctic forest where over half the landscape is covered by tundra and glaciers.
Cibola	Sandia Crest Trail ridgeline.	New Mexico	1,616,435 acres (6,541 km2)	Spans diverse desert mountains, including Mount Taylor, an ancient extinct stratovolcano.
Cleveland	Chaparral scenery near Mount Laguna.	California	425,580 acres (1,722 km2)	The southernmost national forest in California, featuring a warm Mediterranean climate and rare wildlife.
Coconino	Sycamore Canyon red rocks.	Arizona	1,852,201 acres (7,496 km2)	Surrounds Sedona's red rock landscape and Humphreys Peak, the highest summit in Arizona.
Colville	Lake and mountain view in Washington.	Washington	954,668 acres (3,863 km2)	Located in northeastern Washington, offering nearly 500 miles of mountain hiking trails.
Conecuh	Open Pond in Conecuh.	Alabama	83,983 acres (340 km2)	Known for sandy uplands of longleaf pine, natural springs, and sinkhole ponds.
Coronado	Forested mountain ridges near Paradise, Arizona.	Arizona, New Mexico	1,718,945 acres (6,956 km2)	Includes famous "sky island" mountains that rise from the desert floor, offering cooler wildlife havens.
Croatan	Patsy Pond Nature Trail swamp.	North Carolina	161,325 acres (653 km2)	A coastal forest featuring salt estuaries, wetlands, and carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap.
Custer	Granite Peak in the Beartooth Range.	Montana, South Dakota	1,189,465 acres (4,814 km2)	Contains Montana's highest mountain peak, Granite Peak, rising to 12,807 feet.
Daniel Boone	View from Tater Knob.	Kentucky	564,168 acres (2,283 km2)	Named after the pioneer Daniel Boone, famous for Cumberland Falls and Red River Gorge sandstone arches.
Davy Crockett	Ratcliff Lake recreation area.	Texas	161,140 acres (652 km2)	Named for frontier hero Davy Crockett, featuring pine forests, streams, and hardwood bottoms.
Delta	Sunflower Wildlife Management Area sign.	Mississippi	62,109 acres (251 km2)	Contains the only protected bottomland hardwood forest reserve in the entire National Forest System.
Deschutes	Lava Lake with volcanic peaks behind it.	Oregon	1,612,218 acres (6,524 km2)	Features Newberry National Volcanic Monument and Lava River Cave, Oregon's longest lava tube.
De Soto	Southern pine woods in De Soto.	Mississippi	532,100 acres (2,153 km2)	Protects southern pine ecosystems and Black Creek, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River.
Dixie	Scenic red rock canyon in Utah.	Utah	1,885,655 acres (7,631 km2)	Straddles the Great Basin divide, showing off colourful sandstone gorges and high plateau woodlands.
Eldorado	Trail to Winnemucca Lake.	California, Nevada	695,098 acres (2,813 km2)	Located in the central Sierra Nevada, home to the popular Desolation Wilderness.
El Yunque	Lush rainforest mountain slopes in Puerto Rico.	Puerto Rico	28,683 acres (116 km2)	The only tropical rainforest in the system, receiving nearly 200 inches of rain every year.
Finger Lakes	Rolling pastures and woods in New York.	New York	16,352 acres (66 km2)	One of the smallest national forests, nestled between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake in New York.
Fishlake	Autumn colors in the Richfield Ranger District.	Utah	1,452,969 acres (5,880 km2)	Home to Pando, a massive single root system connecting 40,000 aspen trees.
Flathead	Big Salmon Lake in Montana.	Montana	2,413,573 acres (9,767 km2)	Borders Glacier National Park and provides refuge for grizzly bears, Canadian lynx, and wild trout.
Francis Marion	Pine forest trail in South Carolina.	South Carolina	258,673 acres (1,047 km2)	Located along the South Carolina coast, named after the American Revolutionary leader Francis Marion.
Fremont–Winema	Looking out from Drake Peak lookout.	Oregon	2,253,796 acres (9,121 km2)	Covers the rugged Warner Mountains and borders Crater Lake National Park.
Gallatin	Daisy Pass in Gallatin.	Montana	1,849,701 acres (7,485 km2)	Borders Yellowstone National Park; includes Quake Lake, formed by a large earthquake in 1959.
George Washington and Jefferson	Mountain view from Little Sluice Mountain.	Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky	1,792,209 acres (7,253 km2)	Spans the Appalachian Mountains, including Mount Rogers, Virginia's highest point at 5,729 feet.
Gifford Pinchot	Snow-dusted peak of Old Snowy Mountain.	Washington	1,312,274 acres (5,311 km2)	Named after the first Forest Service chief, containing Mount St. Helens volcano.
Gila	Rugged canyons and forests in New Mexico.	New Mexico	2,658,321 acres (10,758 km2)	Contains the Gila Wilderness, established in 1924 as the world's very first designated wilderness area.
Grand Mesa	Edge of the Grand Mesa plateau.	Colorado	345,939 acres (1,400 km2)	Covers Grand Mesa, the largest flat-topped mountain in the world, with over 300 mountain lakes.
Green Mountain	Fall foliage along Hapgood Pond.	Vermont	408,419 acres (1,653 km2)	Located in Vermont's Green Mountains, featuring portions of the historic Long Trail and Appalachian Trail.
Gunnison	Copper Lake Trail near Crested Butte.	Colorado	1,666,514 acres (6,744 km2)	Famous for spectacular alpine views around the Maroon Bells and Crested Butte mountain wildflower valleys.
Helena–Lewis and Clark	Pack mules near the Chinese Wall cliff.	Montana	2,857,401 acres (11,563 km2)	Surrounds Montana's capital city and protects massive limestone cliffs known as the Chinese Wall.
Hiawatha	Hiawatha National Forest road marker.	Michigan	898,475 acres (3,636 km2)	Touches three Great Lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Holly Springs	Cypress swamp in Holly Springs.	Mississippi	156,243 acres (632 km2)	Features gently rolling pine hills and lush bottomland swamps along the Wolf River.
Homochitto	Homochitto National Forest entrance sign.	Mississippi	192,237 acres (778 km2)	Named from a Native American term meaning "Big Red River," with densely wooded rolling hills.
Hoosier	Hazy morning over Hoosier hills.	Indiana	203,627 acres (824 km2)	Indiana's only national forest, featuring old-growth walnut groves and the Charles C. Deam Wilderness.
Humboldt–Toiyabe	Lamoille Canyon in Nevada.	Nevada, California	6,290,945 acres (25,459 km2)	The largest national forest outside of Alaska, covering isolated desert mountain ranges across Nevada.
Huron–Manistee	Benton Lake shoreline.	Michigan	975,130 acres (3,946 km2)	Features coastal sand dunes up to 140 feet high along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan.
Idaho Panhandle	Revett Lake nestled in mountain forests.	Idaho, Montana, Washington	3,074,438 acres (12,442 km2)	Stretches from the Canada–U.S. border down to the scenic, high-altitude Saint Joe River.
Inyo	Mount Whitney trailhead view.	California, Nevada	1,957,264 acres (7,921 km2)	Home to Mount Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48 states at 14,505 feet, and ancient bristlecone pines.
Kaibab	Autumn meadow and aspen grove.	Arizona	1,561,060 acres (6,317 km2)	Surrounds both the north and south rims of Grand Canyon National Park on the Colorado Plateau.
Kisatchie	Kisatchie Bayou waters.	Louisiana	607,540 acres (2,459 km2)	Louisiana's only national forest, protecting ancient longleaf pine forests, bayous, and bald cypress trees.
Klamath	Forest road in Klamath.	California, Oregon	1,672,442 acres (6,768 km2)	Contains hundreds of miles of roaring whitewater rivers and the rare Siskiyou mariposa lily flower.
Kootenai	Snowy peaks in Kootenai.	Montana, Idaho	1,810,361 acres (7,326 km2)	Located in the northwest corner of Montana, featuring the Cabinet Mountains and Clark Fork River.
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit	Shoreline view of Lake Tahoe.	California, Nevada	152,008 acres (615 km2)	A special Forest Service unit created to protect the clear waters and mountain basin of Lake Tahoe.
Land Between The Lakes	Lake view between Kentucky and Tennessee.	Kentucky, Tennessee	171,251 acres (693 km2)	A peninsula between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, offering boating, wildlife viewing, and camping.
Lassen	Echo Lake in Lassen.	California	1,066,027 acres (4,314 km2)	Surrounds Lassen Volcanic National Park and features Subway Cave, an underground lava tube.
Lincoln	Forest landscape along Crest Trail.	New Mexico	1,095,470 acres (4,433 km2)	Famous as the real-life birthplace of Smokey Bear, rescued here as a small cub during a 1950 forest fire.
Lolo	Rainy Lake in Montana.	Montana	2,237,961 acres (9,057 km2)	Located west of the Continental Divide around Missoula, home to over 1,500 species of native plants.
Los Padres	Mountain chaparral in California.	California	1,772,237 acres (7,172 km2)	Covers scenic coastal ranges from Big Sur down through Santa Barbara, providing habitat for California condors.
Malheur	Strawberry Lake in eastern Oregon.	Oregon	1,480,818 acres (5,993 km2)	Located in the Blue Mountains; home to the largest known underground fungus colony on Earth.
Manti–La Sal	Mount Peale in the La Sal Mountains.	Utah, Colorado	1,269,984 acres (5,139 km2)	Features dramatic sandstone canyons and high peaks like Mount Peale rising over 12,700 feet.
Mark Twain	Kayaking on the St. Francis River.	Missouri	1,504,881 acres (6,090 km2)	Missouri's only national forest, named after author Mark Twain, featuring natural cold-water springs and caves.
Medicine Bow–Routt	Forest and grasslands in Medicine Bow.	Colorado, Wyoming	2,210,327 acres (8,945 km2)	Encompasses many high Rocky Mountain ranges, alpine lakes, and historic mining ghost towns.
Mendocino	Howard Lake and Anthony Peak.	California	915,532 acres (3,705 km2)	The only national forest in California without a paved highway crossing through it.
Modoc	Scenic mountain trail in Modoc.	California	1,680,405 acres (6,800 km2)	Contains Medicine Lake Volcano, the largest shield volcano by total land area in North America.
Monongahela	The towering rock wall of Seneca Rocks.	West Virginia	920,583 acres (3,725 km2)	Features West Virginia's highest point, Spruce Knob, and the famous Seneca Rocks rock-climbing cliffs.
Mount Baker–Snoqualmie	Sunrise Lake reflecting Table Mountain.	Washington	2,562,955 acres (10,372 km2)	In the Cascade Range, featuring glacier-covered active volcanoes like Mount Baker.
Mount Hood	Mount Hood reflected in Mirror Lake.	Oregon	1,069,427 acres (4,328 km2)	Home to Mount Hood, Oregon's tallest mountain peak and a major hub for year-round skiing.
Nantahala	Dry Falls cascading over rock.	North Carolina	532,300 acres (2,154 km2)	Located in western North Carolina, famous for the white-water rapids of the Nantahala River Gorge.
Nebraska	Ponderosa trees planted in the sandhills.	Nebraska	140,813 acres (570 km2)	Created as a scientific experiment to plant a forest by hand in the middle of treeless prairie sandhills.
Nez Perce–Clearwater	Crooked Creek in autumn.	Idaho	3,936,355 acres (15,930 km2)	Crossed by the historical Lolo Trail used by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805.
Ocala	Farles Prairie waterhole.	Florida	384,693 acres (1,557 km2)	Protects the largest sand pine scrub forest in the world and hundreds of clear, bubbling springs.
Ochoco	Stein's Pillar rock tower.	Oregon	854,817 acres (3,459 km2)	Known for strange rock formations, old pine groves, and Stein's Pillar, a 350-foot rock tower.
Okanogan–Wenatchee	Maple Pass looking over mountain lakes.	Washington	4,255,572 acres (17,222 km2)	Spans over 4 million acres along the eastern Cascades from Canada down to the Columbia River.
Olympic	Olympic Mountains and forested valleys.	Washington	631,808 acres (2,557 km2)	Surrounds Olympic National Park; receives the highest rainfall in the continental United States.
Osceola	Longleaf pine and palmettos.	Florida	160,192 acres (648 km2)	Site of the historic Battle of Olustee during the Civil War, covered in pine woodlands and cypress swamps.
Ottawa	Lakeside pines at Kathryn Lake.	Michigan	990,961 acres (4,010 km2)	Stretches across Michigan's Upper Peninsula to Lake Superior, containing nearly 500 inland lakes.
Ouachita	Ouachita Mountain vista.	Arkansas, Oklahoma	1,785,468 acres (7,226 km2)	The oldest national forest in the southern United States, covering the east-west Ouachita Mountains.
Ozark–St. Francis	View from White Rock Mountain.	Arkansas	1,153,374 acres (4,668 km2)	Features Blanchard Springs Caverns, a huge underground cave system open for public walking tours.
Payette	Seven Devils Mountains covered in snow.	Idaho	2,326,779 acres (9,416 km2)	Home to the dramatic Seven Devils Mountains and the deep river canyons of Hells Canyon.
Pike	Mountain lake in Pike National Forest.	Colorado	1,096,146 acres (4,436 km2)	Features the world-famous Pikes Peak, which inspired the lyrics to the song "America the Beautiful."
Pisgah	Upper Creek Falls.	North Carolina	509,283 acres (2,061 km2)	Considered the birthplace of modern American forestry, home to the deep Linville Gorge canyon.
Plumas	Bucks Lake shoreline.	California	1,189,554 acres (4,814 km2)	Located in the northern Sierra Nevada, offering camping and boating at Little Grass Valley Reservoir.
Prescott	Mingus Mountain lake.	Arizona	1,257,005 acres (5,087 km2)	Transitions from warm Sonoran Desert cactus landscapes up to cool, high-elevation ponderosa pine forests.
Rio Grande	Stony Pass road in Colorado.	Colorado	1,837,661 acres (7,437 km2)	Protects the high headwaters where the great Rio Grande river begins in the San Juan Mountains.
Rogue River–Siskiyou	The Rabbit Ears rock spires.	Oregon, California	1,718,893 acres (6,956 km2)	Contains one of the world's tallest recorded pine trees, a ponderosa measuring over 268 feet high.
Roosevelt	Lake Isabelle in the Rockies.	Colorado	814,090 acres (3,295 km2)	Named in honour of President Theodore Roosevelt, covering rugged Rocky Mountain wilderness.
Sabine	Sabine National Forest marker.	Texas	161,088 acres (652 km2)	Borders the Toledo Bend Reservoir along the Texas-Louisiana state line, featuring pine flatwoods.
Salmon–Challis	Borah Peak in winter.	Idaho	4,226,973 acres (17,106 km2)	Contains Borah Peak, Idaho's highest summit at 12,662 feet, and the roaring Salmon River.
Sam Houston	Hardwood swamp area in Texas.	Texas	163,264 acres (661 km2)	Located north of Houston, offering hikers 128 miles along the popular Lone Star Hiking Trail.
Samuel R. McKelvie	Grasslands meeting planted pine trees.	Nebraska	115,847 acres (469 km2)	A unique mix of open prairie grassland and pine forests hand-planted across the Nebraska Sandhills.
San Bernardino	Mount Baldy from Silverwood Lake.	California	678,980 acres (2,748 km2)	Surrounds Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake in southern California's rugged Transverse Ranges.
San Isabel	Mountain valley in San Isabel.	Colorado	1,108,639 acres (4,487 km2)	Contains 19 of Colorado's 54 "fourteeners," including Mount Elbert, Colorado's highest peak at 14,440 feet.
San Juan	San Juan Mountains view.	Colorado	1,864,595 acres (7,546 km2)	Home to Chimney Rock National Monument and Colorado's largest protected wilderness, the Weminuche.
Santa Fe	Golden aspens below snow caps.	New Mexico	1,544,748 acres (6,251 km2)	Surrounds historic Santa Fe and includes the Valles Caldera, a huge ancient volcanic crater.
Sawtooth	Stanley Lake below McGown Peak.	Idaho, Utah	1,802,133 acres (7,293 km2)	Named for the jagged, saw-like teeth of the Sawtooth Range, with over 1,100 high-mountain lakes.
Sequoia	Giant sequoia trees towering in California.	California	1,139,240 acres (4,610 km2)	Protects 38 separate groves of massive giant sequoias, some of the oldest living trees on Earth.
Shasta–Trinity	The Trinity Alps in California.	California	2,229,286 acres (9,022 km2)	Dominated by Mount Shasta, a giant snow-capped volcano rising to 14,179 feet.
Shawnee	Garden of the Gods rock formations.	Illinois	273,482 acres (1,107 km2)	Illinois's only national forest, featuring stunning weathered sandstone cliffs at the Garden of the Gods.
Shoshone	Pingora Peak and Lonesome Lake.	Wyoming	2,439,093 acres (9,871 km2)	The first designated forest reserve in the United States, home to Gannett Peak, Wyoming's highest point.
Sierra	Lake of the Lone Indian.	California	1,311,231 acres (5,306 km2)	Located on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, featuring over 1,800 miles of mountain streams.
Siuslaw	Oregon coastal sand dunes.	Oregon	630,291 acres (2,551 km2)	Runs along the Pacific Ocean, famous for huge rolling coastal dunes at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
Six Rivers	Spring runoff on the Salmon River.	California	977,090 acres (3,954 km2)	Named after six major rivers that flow through it: the Smith, Klamath, Trinity, Mad, Van Duzen, and Eel.
Stanislaus	Cherry Lake and surrounding granite.	California	899,427 acres (3,640 km2)	Borders the northern boundary of Yosemite National Park, filled with granite canyons and rivers.
Sumter	Ellicott Rock Wilderness entrance.	South Carolina	372,778 acres (1,509 km2)	Features 22 rushing waterfalls and parts of the Blue Ridge foothills in South Carolina.
Superior	View from Eagle Mountain.	Minnesota	2,093,590 acres (8,472 km2)	Home to the famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, with over 1,500 miles of wilderness canoe trails.
Tahoe	Wildflower meadow in Tahoe.	California	872,981 acres (3,533 km2)	Spans the Sierra Nevada mountains northwest of Lake Tahoe, cut by rushing rivers and historic Gold Rush trails.
Talladega	Cheaha Lake in autumn.	Alabama	393,006 acres (1,590 km2)	Includes Cheaha Mountain, the highest point in Alabama, and popular long-distance hiking trails.
Tombigbee	Lakeside Trail at Choctaw Lake.	Mississippi	67,468 acres (273 km2)	Covers rolling hills in Mississippi that were replanted and restored after being abandoned farmlands.
Tongass	Fjord waters in Alaska.	Alaska	16,748,360 acres (67,778 km2)	The largest national forest in the nation, spanning nearly 17 million acres of islands, glaciers, and fjords.
Tonto	Canyon view in Tonto National Forest.	Arizona	2,866,663 acres (11,601 km2)	Stretches from Sonoran Desert saguaro cactus forests up to the tall ponderosa pine highlands.
Tuskegee	Biking path in Tuskegee.	Alabama	11,349 acres (46 km2)	The smallest national forest in the United States, restored from eroded farmland into healthy woodland.
Uinta–Wasatch–Cache	Autumn mountain view in Utah.	Utah, Wyoming, Idaho	2,492,404 acres (10,086 km2)	Rises right behind Salt Lake City, offering popular ski areas, deep caves, and high mountain peaks.
Umatilla	Trail atop Oregon Butte.	Oregon, Washington	1,405,898 acres (5,689 km2)	Located in the Blue Mountains, home to one of the largest herds of wild Rocky Mountain elk in North America.
Umpqua	Calapooya Mountains from lookout tower.	Oregon	986,120 acres (3,991 km2)	Famous for beautiful waterfalls, including Watson Falls, which plunges 272 feet down a basalt cliff.
Uncompahgre	Wetterhorn Peak in Colorado.	Colorado	951,767 acres (3,852 km2)	Covers the Uncompahgre Plateau and rugged San Juan peaks like Wetterhorn Peak.
Uwharrie	Pond in Uwharrie National Forest.	North Carolina	51,218 acres (207 km2)	Covers the ancient, eroded Uwharrie Mountains, which are among the oldest mountain ranges in North America.
Wallowa–Whitman	The alpine peaks of the Wallowa Mountains.	Oregon, Idaho	2,261,480 acres (9,152 km2)	Includes Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge carved by water in North America (deeper than the Grand Canyon).
Wayne	Wayne National Forest welcome sign.	Ohio	243,180 acres (984 km2)	Ohio's only national forest, located in the Appalachian foothills and crossed by the North Country Trail.
White Mountain	The Sandwich Range in winter.	New Hampshire, Maine	761,687 acres (3,082 km2)	Home to Mount Washington, known for extreme weather and some of the fastest wind speeds on Earth.
White River	The Maroon Bells reflected in Maroon Lake.	Colorado	2,287,495 acres (9,257 km2)	The most visited national forest for recreation in the United States, home to 12 major world-class ski resorts.
Willamette	Breitenbush River flowing through conifer woods.	Oregon	1,681,674 acres (6,805 km2)	Located in Oregon's Cascade Mountains, filled with volcanic peaks, ancient Douglas fir trees, and clear rivers.
William B. Bankhead	Clear Creek running through Alabama woods.	Alabama	181,988 acres (736 km2)	Known as the "land of a thousand waterfalls," containing the Sipsey Wilderness, rich in limestone canyons.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Bosques del sistema nacional de bosques de los Estados Unidos para niños

• List of former national forests of the United States
• National grassland