The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-09-09
NATIONAL FORESTS AS
NATIONAL FAIRGROUNDS

Washington, D. c., Aug. 27.-Be-
fore the years outing season is over
nearly half a million persons will
sought recreation and health in
the national forests of the United
States. According to the record of
the United States department OF
agriculture, the total last year was,
in close figures, 4O6,775. With the
finest mountain scenery and much of
the best fishing and big game hunt
ing in the United States, the national
forests, made more and more Gee
sible each year through protection
and development by the government,
are fast becoming great national
Fairgrounds for the people.
The use Of the forests for recrea-
ton is as yet in it's beginning. but is
growing steadily and rapidly-1n
some of the forests at the rate of a
hundred per cent per n The
day seems not far distant when a
million persons will annually visit
them.
The records show that the season.
al use of the forests runs from two
months in a Colorado forest, such as
the Routt, to twelve months in an
Alaskan, such as the Tongass. But
the uses differ. In Colorado the g.
600 visitors entered the forest to
fish, to camp, to climb and to drink
the medicinal waters; in Alaska the
1000 almost solely to hunt and fish.
The 21,00O persons who went into
the Coconino forest, Arizona, during
nine months, went to camp or to en-
joy the scenery. During four months
$4,000 persons visited the Angeles,
California. The most popular of the
forests is the Pike, containing the
famous park OF that name. The
various attractions within its linn
it's, including the scenic railway,
drew 100000 tourists and others.
BY principal states the national for
est visitors numbered $1,000 in Ari-
IONA, 1903 900 in California, 100000
in Colorado, $4,000 in Montana, TO-
900 in New Mexico, $4,000 in Ore
gon, $4,000 in Idaho, 10000 in
Utah, 10000 in Washington.
OF the natural wonders and land
marks of interest in the national for
ests several have been set apart as
national monuments, among them
Cinder Gone; a great lava basin in
California; the ella Cliff Dwellings,
extensive remains of a prehistoric
race in New Mexico; the unsurpassed
Grand Canyon of the Colorado, in
Arizona; Jewel Cave, South Dakota;
Lassen Peak, the terminus of a lone
line of extinct volcanoes in the Cas-
cades; the Pinnacles, a collection O
remarkable Jagged peaks in Califor
mia; and the Tonic, a group of pre-
historic ruins in the Tonic forest il
Arizona. The Big Trees, Glacier
Park, the Petrified Forest, the Ore
gon Caves, and numerous other phe
uomena serve to attract other host!
OF visitors.
The sportsman finds his paradis'
in the national forests. In many o
them big game abounds. The rang
ers and the guards, besides the Ser
vice they perform against the sprea'
of fire, often point out the best sit
for the camper and the easiest route
A record of 9,218 miles of trail cut
1926 miles of road laid out, and 4
851 miles of telephone line strun
tells what the movement has done !
the way of pushing the convenience
of civilization into the primeval fol
, est. The day of the wilderness {
the savage and the pioneer is swift
passing; the day of the national fol
! ests as productive and q
; national parks approaches. The r
> port OF last years administration /
the United States department of ayr
culture evidences the rapidity of tt
transformation.