CHAPTER XII 



THE PLAYGROUNDS OF THE NATION 

 The public forests are steadily increasing in 

 popularity as the playgrounds of the Nation. 

 The woodlands offer splendid opportunities for 

 camping, hunting, fishing and outdoor life. Mil- 

 lions of motorists now spend their vacations in 

 the government and state forests. Railroads and 

 automobiles make the forests accessible to all. 

 Thousands of miles of improved motor highways 

 lead into the very heart of the hills. More than 

 5,500,000 people annually visit the National 

 Forests. Of this number, some 2,500,000 are 

 campers, fishermen and hunters. 



The forests provide cheap health insurance 

 to all who will enjoy what they offer in sport and 

 recreation. For example, over 1,000,000 vaca- 

 tionists visit Colorado 's forests each year. If each 

 person spent but five days in the forests, this 

 would mean a total of 5,000,000 days or 50,000,000 

 hours of rest and enjoyment. Recreation at the 

 beaches and amusement parks costs at least fifty 



cents an hour. Applying that rate to the free fun 

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