San Juan National Forest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Juan National Forest |
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 San Juan National Forest
Location in the United States
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| Location | Colorado, United States |
| Nearest city | Durango, CO |
| Area | 1,878,846 acres (7,603.42 km2) |
| Established | June 3, 1905 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| Website | San Juan National Forest |
The San Juan National Forest is a huge natural area in western Colorado, United States. It covers more than 1.8 million acres. That's about 2,935 square miles, or 7,603 square kilometers!
This forest spreads across many counties in Colorado. It touches Archuleta, Conejos, Dolores, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mineral, Montezuma, Rio Grande, San Miguel, and San Juan Counties.
The San Juan National Forest is next to other national forests. To the north, it borders the Uncompahgre National Forest. To the east, it's next to the Rio Grande National Forest. Most of the southern part of the San Juan Mountains is within this forest. This area is west of the Continental Divide, which is like a big mountain ridge that separates rivers flowing to different oceans.
Inside the forest, you'll find two special wilderness areas. These are the Weminuche Wilderness and the South San Juan Wilderness. There's also an area called the Piedra Area. The famous Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad even travels through this beautiful forest!
The forest gets its name from the San Juan River. This river was originally called the Rio San Juan. It was named after Saint John the Baptist, or San Juan Bautista in Spanish.
Contents
History
The San Juan National Forest was officially created on June 3, 1905. It was established by Theodore Roosevelt, who was the President at that time.
The main office for the forest is in Durango, Colorado. There are also smaller offices for forest rangers in other towns. You can find these offices in Bayfield, Dolores, and Pagosa Springs.
Later, on September 21, 2012, another important event happened. President Barack Obama set aside a part of the forest. He made it a special place called Chimney Rock National Monument.
Wilderness areas
Within the San Juan National Forest, there are four special places called wilderness areas. These areas are protected and kept as natural as possible. They are part of a bigger system called the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Some of these wilderness areas also extend into other nearby National Forests:
- Lizard Head Wilderness: Part of this area is also in the Uncompahgre National Forest.
- South San Juan Wilderness: Most of this area is in the Rio Grande National Forest.
- Weminuche Wilderness: This area also extends into the Rio Grande National Forest.
- Hermosa Creek Wilderness: This entire wilderness area is located within the San Juan National Forest.
See also
In Spanish: Bosque nacional de San Juan para niños
- 416 Fire
- List of largest United States National Forests
- List of U.S. National Forests
Images for kids
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San Juan National Forest
