With its snow-covered mountain peaks and internationally known "blue ribbon" trout streams, the Gallatin National Forest is a popular recreation area in Montana’s Northern Rockies. Located in south-central Montana and established in 1899, the Gallatin is part of the Greater Yellowstone Area, the largest intact ecosystem in the continental United States. This 1.8-million-acre Forest spans six mountain ranges and includes two Congressionally-designated Wilderness areas, the Absaroka-Beartooth and Lee Metcalf Wildernesses. The Forest provides habitat for a full complement of native animals including four federally listed threatened species-–the grizzly bear, gray wolf, bald eagle, and the Canada lynx. The principal rivers are the Yellowstone River
, Gallatin River
, Madison River
and Boulder River
. There are 26 campgrounds the Forest.