THE NATIONAL FORESTS OF COLORADO 17 



valley of the Williams Fork, however, is a ranching community, so 

 that grazing bulks comparatively large in that vicinity. 



Known for the activities in timber harvesting, grazing, and recrea- 

 tion carried on in it, the Arapaho has the distinction, also, of guard- 

 ing the headwaters of the Colorado River, which as a source of water 

 for power and irrigation is of the highest importance to seven West- 

 ern States. So it is of more than ordinary moment to preserve the 

 forest cover unimpaired for the prevention of erosion and for the 

 retention of snow and water past the spring flood season. 



THE ROUTT NATIONAL FOREST 



That part of the Continental Divide which is west of North Park 

 and is known as Park Range is within the Routt National Forest. 

 Because of the steepness of this range on its east side, only a narrow 

 strip of the Routt lies between the North Park and the crest of the 

 ridge, the remainder of the forest sloping somewhat more gradually 

 westward toward the Yampa River Valley. Just south of the Wyo- 

 ming State line the Routt turns west at right angles along a spur of 

 the divide, giving the forest the general shape of a figure 7. 



West of the Routt there are no more stands of timber in Colorado. 

 The Routt, therefore, containing more than a billion and a half board 

 feet with cordwood besides, provides an opportune supply for the 

 industrial development which is expected among the mineral fields 

 of Moffatt County and the western part of Routt County. 



One very large stand of timber, chiefly lodgepole pine and Engel- 

 mann spruce, is located in the south end of the forest on high ground, 

 near Buffalo Park. Other large bodies of timber are found on the 

 upper slopes of the three branches of Elk River, in the vicinity of 

 " Bears Ears " Mountain and around Black Mountain in the extreme 

 western end of the forest. The timber is on both the Snake and 

 Yampa River watersheds and a small area in the southern end of 

 the forest sloping directly into the Colorado River watershed. 

 Around the border of the forest, in the lower altitudes are extensive 

 stands of aspen, which are characteristic of the national forests of 

 Colorado. 



Forest fires have left many open spots on the Routt National For- 

 est. Some of these fires were set by the fugitive Utes in the late 

 seventies and eighties. These openings in the timber are noticeable 

 from the Rabbit Ears Pass road across the divide and extend inter- 

 mittently from the Buffalo Park timber in the south to the South 

 Fork of Elk River on the north. All of the west side of the North 

 Fork drainage has also been burned over. 



The Routt National Forest plays an important part in the livestock 

 industry, providing as it does more than half a million acres of high 

 summer range. Aspen, in contrast to coniferous timber, usually con- 

 tains a luxuriant growth of forage. On this forest the combination 

 of aspen, burns, and natural parks, both above and below timber 

 line, affords extensive grazing areas. 



This national forest yields irrigation water to North Park and the 

 Yampa River Valley, both of which are important agricultural sec- 

 tions. Limited portions of the forest are drained also by the Snake 

 River to the north and the Colorado River to the south. 



