Malheur National Forest
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The Malheur National Forest contains 1.7 million acres (6900 km²) in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. The forest include high desert grasslands, sage, juniper, pine, fir, and other tree species. Elevations vary from about 4000 feet (1200 m) to the 9038 foot (2754 m) peak of Strawberry Mountain. The Strawberry mountain range extends east to west through the center of the forest. US Highway 395 runs south to north through the forest, while U.S. Highway 26 runs east-west.
The forest is managed for timber extraction, cattle grazing, gold mining and wilderness use by the Forest Service, a division of the US Department of Agriculture. The Strawberry and Monument Rock Wildernesses lie within the forest.
The forest was established by President Taft on June 13, 1908. The forest was named after the Malheur River, from the French, meaning literally "bad hour"--in reference to some hardship or misfortune.
There are three ranger districts in the forest, with offices in John Day, Prairie City, and Hines, Oregon.
The Malheur NF is known for containing the largest organism in the world: an Armillaria ostoyae that spans 2200 acres (8.9 km²).
