MOUNTAIN PLAYGROUNDS 
OF TNE 
PCE NATIONAL FOREST 
A PLAYGROUND FOR THE NATION. 
HE Pike National Forest, stretching for 80 miles along the 
eastern slope of the Continental Divide in Colorado, embraces 
one of the most popular recreation grounds in America. 
Within its boundaries is the greater part of the famous Pikes Peak 
region, visited annually by thousands of pleasure seekers, while in 
other portions of its more than 1,000,000 acres an exhilarating cli- 
mate and the finest of mountain scenery combine to afford rare oppor- 
tunities for health, rest, and enjoyment. Few other regions offer such 
varied attractions for the tourist, the camper, the nature lover, and 
all others who enjoy life in the open. More than 400,000 people 
visit the Pike National Forest each year. 
That portion of the Rocky Mountains included in the Pike Forest 
was among the first to be explored: by white men. It was visited 
by ,the early Spaniards, and after the famous expedition of Lieut. 
Zebulon M. Pike in 1806 was the goal of every traveler crossing the 
Great Plains. Tourists and health seekers began to visit the region 
in 1872, and ever since then its popularity as a pleasure ground has 
steadily increased. 
From an economic standpoint the Pike National Forest is of the 
greatest importance, for it protects the water supply of a vast section 
of irrigated ranches and of many of Colorado’s principal towns and 
cities, and contains a large store of timber for future local needs. 
Recognizing its value also as a great public playground, the Forest 
Service is doing everything possible to develop its recreational re- 
sources. Visitors may camp anywhere on Government land within 
the Forest boundaries and stay as long as they like. They may fish 
and hunt in the Forest, subject only to the Colorado fish and game 
laws. Forest officers are always ready to give pleasure seekers what- 
ever information and assistance they can. All that is asked of visitors 
is to be careful with fire and to leave their camp sites clean. 
