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Arapaho National Forest

Arapaho National Forest

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The Arapaho National Forest straddles the Continental Divide in north central Colorado and is named for the plains tribe that hunted in the foothills and rugged Front Range during the summer - still visible are the game-drive structures that the Arapaho used to ambush game. Mountaineers come here to ascend the area's Class 4 and Class 5 peaks; still others come just to behold the mountains - to be bewildered and astonished.

The mountains in the Arapaho National Forest are raw, exposing visceral geologic formations such as jagged ridges, broken buttresses, cloud-piercing pinnacles, cirques, and glaciers cracked by crevasses.

The forest is located in the Rocky Mountains, straddling the continental divide in the Front Range west of Denver. The forest includes part of the high Rockies and river valleys in the upper watershed of the Colorado River and South Platte River.

The Arapaho National Recreation Area (ANRA) is located in the Arapaho National Forest in Grand County between the towns of Grand Lake and Granby, off US Highway 34, near the west entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.

The ANRA contains five major lakes: Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain Lake, Monarch Lake, Willow Creek Reservoir and Meadow Creek Reservoir. Grand Lake, adjacent to the ANRA, with its deep, clear blue waters, is the largest natural lake in Colorado. Together, the lakes and reservoirs are often referred to as the "Great Lakes of Colorado."

Essential Information:

Elevation - 8,200 - 11,000 feet

Cool summers with afternoon thunderstorms are common to the area. Snow and cold temperatures can be expected in winter.

Wildlife
Elk, deer, moose, coyote, bobcat, bear, red fox, badger, beaver, ground and pine squirrels, chipmunks, bald and golden eagles, osprey, five species of trout, kokanee salmon, otter, pelican, endangered boreal toad (State of Colorado), birds of prey, owls, and song birds.

Recreation Facilities
Camping and picnic areas, boat launch ramps, vault toilets, and drinking water are all available. Several marinas with boat services open to the public are operated under permit from the USDA Forest Service.

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Other pages you might find helpful:


The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge
The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge is located just outside of Walden, Colorado.