Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests

Stretching across the Continental Divide in north-central Colorado, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests encompass over 1.5 million acres of alpine tundra, glacial lakes, ancient bristlecone pine groves, and some of the most accessible high-alpine terrain along the Front Range. The Indian Peaks Wilderness and the James Peak Wilderness protect towering granite peaks, permanent snowfields, and pristine alpine lakes just a short drive from the Denver-Boulder metropolitan area. The Brainard Lake Recreation Area serves as a gateway to some of the most popular hiking in the state, with trails leading to Lake Isabelle and Blue Lake beneath the Continental Divide.\n\nThe forest protects the headwaters of the Colorado River on its western slope and the Cache la Poudre River -- Colorado's only designated Wild and Scenic River -- on its eastern slope. Mount Evans, one of only two fourteeners accessible by paved road, rises to 14,264 feet within the forest and offers a scenic byway that climbs above treeline into an alpine world of mountain goats and pikas. The Arapaho National Recreation Area, centered around Lake Granby and Shadow Mountain Lake, provides extensive boating, fishing, and camping near Rocky Mountain National Park. With proximity to Colorado's most populated corridor, the forest receives millions of visitors annually and supports critical habitat for lynx, moose, elk, and bighorn sheep.