Montana, known to many as �Big Sky Country,� lives up to its name. Whether it�s the rolling grasslands in the eastern part of the state or the jagged mountains of the west, a giant expanse of sky stretches out overhead. Montana is home to some of Mother Nature�s best offerings, including Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, wilderness areas, national forests, state forests, state parks and wildlife refuges.

MONTANA NATIONAL FORESTS National forests are federal lands managed for multiple uses, including recreation. Montana�s national forests are wild and wonderful places to see Mother Nature�s best. For more information on recreation on Montana�s national forests and other federal lands, visit www.recreation.gov. Montana�s national forests, along with contact information, include:

Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Dillon l 406-683-3900 and Butte - 406-494-2147 Bitterroot National Forest, Hamilton l 406-363-3131 Custer National Forest, Billings l 406-657-6200 Flathead National Forest, Kalispell l 406-758-5200 Gallatin National Forest, Bozeman l 406-587-6701 Helena National Forest, Helena l 406-449-5201 Kootenai National Forest, Libby l 406-293-6211 Lewis and Clark National Forest, Great Falls l 406-791-7700 Lolo National Forest, Missoula l 406-329-3750

MONTANA WILDERNESS AREAS Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Area/National Wildlife Refuge Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area Bear Trap Canyon BLM Wilderness Area Bob Marshall Wilderness Area Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge Gates of the Mountains Wilderness Area Great Bear Wilderness Area Humbug Spires - Wilderness Study Area Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area Medicine Lake Wilderness Area/ Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge Mission Mountains Wilderness Area Rattlesnake Wilderness Area Red Rock Lakes Wilderness Area Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Scapegoat Wilderness Area Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area UL Bend Wilderness Area/Charles Welcome Creek Wilderness Area TOURISM INFORMATION CONTACTS Travel Montana: 406-841-2870 or 1-800-VISITMT l TDD: 406-841-2702 l FAX: 406-841-2871 l www.visitmt.com

MONTANA�S SIX TOURISM REGIONS Glacier Country: 800-338-5072 or 406-837-6211 l FAX 406-837-6231 l glacier.visitmt.com Gold West Country: 800-879-1159 or 406-846-1943 l FAX 406-846-1943 l goldwest.visitmt.com Russell Country: 800-527-5348 or 406-761-5036 l FAX 406-761-5085 l russell.visitmt.com Yellowstone Country: 800-736-5276 or 406-556-8680 l FAX 406-556-8688 l yellowstone.visitmt.com Missouri River Country: 800-653-1319 or 406-653-1319 l FAX 406-653-1317 l missouririver.visitmt.com Custer Country: 800-346-1876 or 406-628-1432 l FAX 406-628-1487 l custer.visitmt.com

OUTDOOR INFORMATION CONTACTS Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation l 406-444-2074 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks l 406-444-2535 l TDD: 406-444-1200 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers l 406-526-3411 U.S. Bureau of Land Management l 406-896-5000 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation l 406-247-7295 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service l 303-236-7917 ext.415 U.S.D.A. Forest Service-Northern Region l 406-329-3511

TRANSPORTATION CONTACTS Airlines Big Sky (Northwest Partner) l 800-237-7788 or 406-245-2300 Delta � 800-221-1212 Horizon Air (Northwest Partner) l 800-547-9308 Northwest l 800-225-2525 SkyWest (Delta Connection) l 800-453-9417 United/United Express l 800-241-6522

Train Amtrak l 800-872-7245

Bus Lines Greyhound Bus Lines l 800-231-2222 Powder River l 800-442-3682 Rimrock Trailways l 800-255-7655 or 406-245-5392

WEATHER CONTACTS Road Conditions 800-226-7623 or 406-444-6339 l TDD: 800-335-7592 or 406-444-7696 l www.mdt.state.mt.us Weather 406-453-2081

WEBSITES Year-round information: www.visitmt.com Winter information: www.wintermt.com Children�s website: www.montanakids.com Wildlife: www.wildlife.visitmt.com Lewis and Clark information: www.lewisandclark.state.mt.us Lewis and Clark info for Writers: www.lewisandclark.montanainfo.org Meetings information: www.montanameetings.com Group tour information: www.montanagroups.com Indian Nation information: www.indiannations.visitmt.com

TRIVIA * Montana derives its name from the Spanish word meaning �mountain.� The name was suggested by James M. Ashley, the legislator who sponsored the bill giving Montana territorial status. * Montana�s capital is Helena (pronounced HELL-uh-nuh), a city of about 25,000. Helena began as a mining camp in the 1860s along �Last Chance Gulch,� now part of the city�s downtown. * State nickname is the �Treasure State� because of its rich mining resources. Also known as �Big Sky Country� for its majestic and spacious skies. * Montana is the fourth-largest state (behind Alaska, Texas and California) at 145,392 square miles of land and 1,402 square miles of water. Despite its size, Montana has only the 44th largest population (about 856,000) - the fish outnumber the people about 12:1. * Despite recent publicity, Montana really does have a speed limit, which is as follows: interstate highways, 75 mph day and night; other highways, 70 mph day and 65 mph night. US Highway 93 is 65 mph both day and night. * The state bird is the western meadowlark, a North American songbird. * The state flower is the bitterroot, a plant with pink or white flowers. * The state tree is the ponderosa pine, abundant throughout Montana. * The state fish is the cutthroat trout, prevalent in Montana streams. * The state fossil is the Maiasaura. For those who don�t speak Latin, that�s the duck-billed dinosaur. * Montana�s economy is predominantly resource-based. The state�s top industry is agriculture, while other leading industries include tourism, mining and timber.

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Media Contact: Donnie Sexton +1 406-841-2897 donnie@visitmt.com