Arapahoe National Forest

The Arapahoe National Forest is located in north central Colorado, just outside of Summit County. The area is comprised of land on either side of the Continental Divide, named for the plains tribe that hunted in the foothills and rugged Front Range during the summer. There are still remnants of distinguishable game drive structures that the Arapaho Indians used to ambush game.

President Theodore Roosevelt established the national forest in 1908 and the region includes a total of 1.3 million acres of Federal land. Visitors to the area enjoy many recreational activities in the great outdoor opportunity the Arapahoe National Forest provides.

This national forest is home to an abundance of wildlife such as deer, elk, moose, bear, bighorn sheep, mountain lion, coyote, red fox, badger, beaver, ground and pine squirrels, birds of prey, five species of trout, and kokanee salmon. The landscape varies greatly and is characterized by its high alpine lakes, glaciers, alpine tundra, meadows, rocky ridges, deep canyons, and striking rock formations. Arapahoe National Forest provides an outdoor haven for those seeking diversity in hiking trails, extensive and challenging mountaineering and climbing, along with horseback riding, hunting, camping, fishing and boating.

There are five major lakes that are recreational use, originally developed to provide water from the west slope to Colorado's east slope. The biggest draw to the Arapahoe National Forest is the five lakes that are referred to as the Great Lakes of Colorado. Lake Granby encompasses 7,256 acres, and is the second largest body of water in Colorado. Monarch Lake, Shadow Mountain Lake, Grand Lake, the largest natural lake in Colorado, and Willow Creek Reservoir are all great sources for boating, fishing and camping.

Geologically speaking, the Arapahoe National Forest is stunning with its raw mountains and the exposed visceral geologic formations such as jagged ridges, broken buttresses, cloud-piercing pinnacles, cirques, and glaciers cracked by crevasses. Mountaineers come here to ascend the area's Class 4 and Class 5 peaks; still others come just to behold the mountains in the splendid grandeur.