Helium is a noble gas, which means it's inert and doesn't readily react with other elements. Therefore, it's found in its normal state as a gas in the atmosphere.

However, here's the important part:

* Helium is incredibly rare in the Earth's atmosphere. Only about 5.2 parts per million of our air is helium.

* The majority of helium on Earth is found underground, trapped in natural gas deposits.

So, while helium is a gas in its natural state, it's not abundant in the atmosphere. Most of it is found underground in natural gas deposits.