Routt National Forest

The Routt National Forest was formed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1905. Originally it was called the Park Range Forest Reserve. It includes 1,126,346 acres of federal lands and is named for Col. John N. Routt.

The National Forest is split by the Continental Divide and the peaks of Mt. Zirkel Wilderness (which covers 139,818 acres). The North Park region in the east is drained by the North Platte River (a tributary of the Missouri and Mississippi). The Yampa River flows in the west to the Green and Colorado rivers. Elevations are from 7,000 feet to 13,000 feet - these are very high elevations. It is common for the area to receive heavy snow as well, and frost is an occurrence even in the summer.

The most breathtaking vista found in the Routt National Forest is in the Flat Tops Wilderness area. It was created through intense volcanic activity and uplift, and carved by glaciers. The eastern boundary of the vista is a black wall that looks like it is rising straight up on three sides of Bear Lake campground. Here you'll also find a large amount of Engelmann spruce and sub-alpine fir. This creates a lot of privacy between campsites.