The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-09-02
SEEKS FORESTS
FOR RECREATION.
Do Half Million People
Each Year.
Colorado Mexico Montana South
Dakota and Arizona, Fa-
vorite Spots.

Washington, ID. c. August a.
Before the years outing season Is
over nearly half a million persons
will have sought recreation and
health in the National Forests oil
the United States. According to the
record of the g. S. Department OF
Agriculture, the total last year was
in close figures, 406,775. With the
finest mountain scenery and much
of the best fishing and big-game
hunting in the United States, the
National Forests, made more and
more accessible each year through
protection and development by the
Government, are fast becoming great
National Fairgrounds for the peo-
pie.
The use of the Forests for recrea-
ton is as yet in its beginning, but
is growing steadily and rapidly-in
some of the Forests at the rate of
a hundred per cent per annum. The
day seems not far distant when a
million persons will annually visit
them.
The records show that the sea-
sonal use of the Forests runs from
two months in a Colorado Forests,
such as the Routt, to twelve months
in an Alaskan, such as the Ton
gass. But the uses differ. In Colo
RADIO the 1000 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 2l,000 persons
who went into the Coconino Forest.
Arizona, during nine months, went
to camp or to enjoy the scenery.
>During four months 10000 persons
visited the Angeles. California. The
most popular of the Forests is the
Pike, containing the famous peak of
that name. The various attractions
within its limits, including the
scenic railway, drew 100000 tourists
and others. By principal States the
National Forest visitors numbered
$4,000 in Arizona, 100000 in Cali
fornia, 10000 in Colorado, 10000 in
Montana, 10000 in New Mexico. 49,
600 in Oregon, $4,000 in Idaho, 49,
900 in Utah, and $4,000 in Washing
ton.
OF the natural wonders and land
marks of interest in the National
Forests several have been set apart
as National Monuments, among them
Cinder Cone, a great lava basin in
California, the ella Cliff Dwellings,
extensive remains of a prehistoric
race in New Mexico the unsurpass-
ed Grand Canyon of the Colorado,
in Arizona; Jewel Cave South Dako-
ia; Lassen Peak, the terminus of
long line of extince volcanoes in the
Cascadese; the Pinnacles, a collec-
ton of remarkable jagged peaks in
California; and the Tonic, a group
Of prehistoric ruins in the Tonic For
est in Arizona. The Big Trees,
Glacier Park, the Fortified Forest,
the Oregon Caves, and numerous other
phenomena serve to attract other host
of visitors.
The sportsman finds his paradise
in the National Forests. In many of
them big game abounds. The ran
gers and the guards; besides the
service they perform against the
spread of fire, often point out the
best site for the camper and the east
est route. A record of 9,21S miles
of trail cut, |, 236 miles of road laid
out; and 1851 miles of telephone line |
strung tells what the Government has
done in the way of pushing the con-
veniences of civilizations into the |
primeval forest. The day of the will
derDess of the savage and the pio-
neer is swiftly passing, the day of
the National Forests as productive |
resources and as National parks ap-
breaches. The report of last years
by the U. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture evidences the
rapidly of the transformation.