The Malheur National Forest is a National Forest in the U.S. state of Oregon. It contains more than 1.4 e6acre 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 4000 ft to the 9038 ft peak of Strawberry Mountain. The Strawberry Mountains of eastern Oregon 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 the extent of old growth in the forest at 312000 acre. 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 - among the largest organisms on earth

The Malheur National Forest contains the largest known organism (by area) in the Northern Hemisphere: an Armillaria ostoyae (fungus) that spans 2200 acre and is located high on a ridgeline immediately west of Clear Creek (44.4731°N, -118.4816°W).

Wilderness

There are two wilderness areas in the Malheur National Forest.

Climate

The hottest temperature recorded in the Malheur National Forest was 110 F on July 23, 2003, while the coldest temperature recorded was -26 F on January 22–23, 1962.