| The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland encompass roughly 1.5 million acres of public land in the Rocky Mountains, foothills and short grass prairie of north central Colorado. The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests area consists of 8 wilderness areas.Theodore Roosevelt established the Arapaho National Forest on July 1, 1908. It was named after the Native American tribe that occupied the region for summer hunting.The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, originally part of the Medicine Bow Forest Reserve, was first named the Colorado National Forest in 1910 and was renamed by President Herbert Hoover to honor President Theodore Roosevelt in 1932.The Pawnee National Grassland was transferred to the Forest Service from the Soil Conservation Service in 1954. The Soil Conservation Service acquired this prairie during the dust bowl days of the 1930s and was charged with its rehabilitation. It was designated a national grassland in 1960.The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests area provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities including hunting, wildlife viewing, scenic drives, off-roading, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and rock climbing. There are numerous streams, lakes and reservoirs open for water activities including fishing, swimming, skiing and canoeing. The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland is also a great place to go camping, with more than 53 developed campgrounds and 20 developed picnic areas. With winter come opportunities to go snowmobiling, snowshoeing and skiing. |
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