White River National Forest
Aspen, Colorado serves as a great base camp to exploring the abundance
of outdoor recreation of the White River National Forest. The
2-million-acre forest is one of the largest and oldest national forests
in the Rocky Mountains. It is located in north central Colorado,
west of the Continental Divide, split into north/south sections by
Interstate 70.
White River National Forest was originally established as a Federal
Timber Reserve in October of 1891 by proclamation of President Benjamin
Harrison. The scenic beauty of the area, along with ample
developed and undeveloped recreation opportunities on the Forest,
accounts for the fact that the White River consistently ranks as one of
the top five forests nationwide for total recreation use.
The Forest provides an excellent variety of recreation opportunities in
all seasons. Visitors can enjoy eleven ski areas, eight
designated wildernesses, several National Trails, and approximately 70
Forest Service administered developed sites including campgrounds,
picnic grounds, boat ramps and observation sites. This vast
Colorado forest offers unlimited opportunities for general motorized
and non-motorized backcountry enjoyment. Popular recreation
activities within the forest include downhill and cross-country skiing,
developed and dispersed camping, four-wheel driving, sightseeing,
photography, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, snowmobiling,
picnicking, bicycling, horseback riding and backpacking.
The elevation of the White River National Forest ranges from 5,000 to
14,000 feet. Most of the campgrounds are between 5,400 and 10,000
feet. Persons coming from lower elevations should be aware that
time is needed to adjust to the higher elevations.
Other pages you might find helpful:
Glacier National Park Travel Guide
ALLGlacier.com - travel planning guide for Glacier National Park and the Flathead Valley region in Montana.
Visit Yellowstone
For Yellowstone National Park travel planning, use our ALLYellowstonePark.com site.
White River National Forest Service
A Forest Service page on the White River National Forest, located in and around Carbondale, Colorado.
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