Madison National Forest was established as the Madison Forest Reserve by the United States General Land Office in Montana on August 16, 1902, with . After the transfer of federal forests to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, it became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On December 16, 1931, Madison was divided between Beaverhead, Gallatin and Deerlodge National Forests and the name was discontinued.