Mountain Playgrounds 
Of the Pike National Forest Pase Ten 
during the summer season for fire in the woods. When smoke is 
discovered, the Forest ranger nearest the fire is notified by telephone. 
A fire on a National Forest is always fought until extinguished, no 
matter how long it takes. 
The watersheds of the Pike Forest are the sources of the streams 
upon which the cities, towns, and ranches of their plains, with a total 
population of over 400,000, depend for water for irrigation and 
domestic use. The protection of these forested areas from fire is there- 
fore of the greatest importance, and fire detection and suppression 
takes precedence over all other work. 
The greater percentage of the fires which occur in the mountains 
are due to human agencies, and are therefore preventable. Visitors 
are urgently requested to be careful with fire when in the woods, and 
to cooperate with the Forest officers by reporting promptly any fires 
they may discover. Telephones are conveniently located in many 
parts of the Forest, and these may be used to call up the nearest officer 
in case a fire is seen. | 
In order that the many attractive camp and picnic grounds of 
the Pike Forest may always be inviting to the public, they must be 
kept clean and sanitary. Tin cans and camp refuse should be buried, 
and discarded clothing, papers, and other inflammable material 
burned. A little thoughtfulness in this matter on the part of campers 
will do much toward increasing the pleasure of other visitors who follow. 
RIVERS AND LAKES. 
Among the streams in the Pike Forest which offer special scenic 
attractions are the North and South Forks of the South Platte 
River, with their rugged and towering rock walls; Clear Creek, 
emerging from the mountains through a beautiful canyon and then 
crossing the plains to form a junction with the South Platte near 
Denver; Fountain Creek, a tributary of the Arkansas, flowing through 
the famous Ute Pass, historic because of the fact that it was one of 
the main routes of travel for the Ute Indians many years prior to the 
advent of the white man, and North and South Cheyenne Canyons 
near Colorado Springs, famous for their unusual scenic beauty and 
wonderful waterfalls. 
More than 100 lakes, large and small, lie within the Pike Forest 
boundaries, principally at the foot of the Continental Divide. The 
