Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1910-09-03
RECREATION PARKS,
NATIONAL FORESTS
AS NATIONAL FAIRGROUNDS.

Washington D. c., August 27.-Be-
fore the years outing season is over
nearly half amilhon persons will have
sought recreation and health In the
National Forests of the United States
According to the record of the U. 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 protec-
ton and development by the Govern
ment, are fast becoming great Nat.
ional Fairgrounds for the people.
The use of the Forests for recreat-
ion is as yet in it's beginning, but Is
growing steadily and rapidy-in some
of the Forests at the rate of hum
dred per cent per annum. The day
seems not far distant when million
persons will annually visit them.
The records show that the seasonal
Use of the Forests runs
from two months in Colorado For
est, such as the Routt, to twelve
months in an Alaskan, such as the
Tongass. But the uses differ. In Col
orado 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 21,0OO persons who
went into the Coconino Forest, Ari-
zona, during nine months, went to
camp or to enjoy the scenery. During
four months $4,000 persons visited
the Angeles, California. The most
popular of the Forests is the Pike,
containing the famouspeak of that
name The various attractions within
it's limits, including the scenic rail
way drew 1000 tourists and others.
By principal States the National For
est visitors numbered $4,000 in Ari-
IONA, 103, 900 in California, 100000 in
Colorado. 10000 in Montana, 10000
in New Mexico $4,000 in Oregon,
22 900 in Idaho, $1,000 in Utah, and
Il 900 in Washington.
ha Jnr Iop
marks of interest in the National For
ests several have been set apart as
National Monuments, among them
Cinder Cone, a great lava basin in
California;; the Gla Cliff Dwellings,,
extensive remains of prehistoric
race in New Mexico; the unsurpas-
sed Grand Canyon of the Colorado, in
Arizona; Jewel Cave, South Dakota;
I,assen Peak, the terminus of long
hne of extinctvolcanoes in the Cas-
cades; the Pinnacles, collection of
remarkable jagged peaks in Califor-
nia and the Tonic, group of pre-
historic ruins in the Tonto Forest in
Arizona. The Big Trees, Glacier Park,
the Petrified Forest, sthe Oregon Cav
and numerous other phenomena serve
to attract other hosts of visitors.
The sportsman finds his paradise
in the National Forests. In many of
them big game abounds. The ranger
and the guards, besides the service
they perform against the spread of
fire, often point out the best site for
the camper and the easiest route. A
record of 9,21S miles of trail cut,
1886 miles of road laid out, and
1851 miles of telephone line strung
tells what the Government has done
in the way of pushing the conven-
fences of civilization into the prim-
eval forest. The day of the wilder
ness of the savage and the pioneer
is swiftly passing; the day Of the Nat
ional Forests as productive resource
and as National parks approaches.
The report of last years administra-
ton by the U. S. Department of Ag-
ricultMe evidences the rapidity of the
transformation.