Medicine Bow - Routt National Forest
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Medicine Bow - Routt National Forest | |
|---|---|
| IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area) | |
  |
|
| Location: | Wyoming-Colorado, USA |
| Nearest city: | Cheyenne, WY |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 3 million acres (12,000 km²) |
| Established: | 1902 |
| Governing body: | U.S. Forest Service |
Medicine Bow - Routt National Forest is the official title to a U.S. Forest Service managed area extending over 3 million acres (12,000 km²) in the states of Wyoming and Colorado, United States. What were once three separate areas, Medicine Bow National Forest, Routt National Forest and Thunder Basin National Grassland were administratively combined in 1995 due to similarity of the resources, proximity to each other and for administrative purposes.
The Medicine Bow National Forest section is located in Wyoming and was originally created as a forest reserve in 1902. Named after the Native American powwows in which numerous tribes would congregate here in search of mountain mahogany, which was an excellent wood for the manufacturing of bows, and to perform rituals hoped to cure diseases and thus make "good medicine". Areas of interest include the Snowy Range where the highest peak is Medicine Bow Peak at 12,013 feet (3,661 m) and is visible from Snowy Range Pass, 10,847 ft (3,300 m), on Wyoming highway 130. The Encampment River, Huston Park, Savage Run and Platte River Wildernesses are all located within the Medicine Bow portion of the National Forest. The Vedauwoos are located immediately north of Interstate 80 and consist of numerous rock outcroppings popular with rock climbers.
Routt National Forest lands are located in Colorado. The Steamboat Ski Resort is located in the forest, on Mount Werner. The forest is named after John Routt, the first Governor of Colorado. It was established in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt. The forest encompasses 1,126,346 acres (4,558 km²). The Continental Divide splits the forest in half, with the east part drained by the North Platte River and the west drained by the Yampa River. Routt National Forest contains four wilderness areas inside it, including Mount Zirkel, Flat Tops, Sarvis Creek, and Never Summer.
Thunder Basin National Grassland is located in Wyoming and consists primarily of leased lands to cattle interests.
The forest headquarters is in Laramie, Wyoming.
[edit] External link
- U.S. Forest Service. Medicine Bow - Routt National Forest. Retrieved on 2006-07-08.
