White River National Forest

White River National Forest sprawls across nearly 868,000 acres in Colorado, offering the full range of public-land recreation on a vast multiple-use landscape. The forest supports extensive trail networks for hiking and backpacking, dispersed camping throughout its acreage, fishing in streams and lakes, and scenic driving corridors. Hunting seasons draw visitors in fall and winter, and the forest's high-elevation terrain provides year-round outdoor opportunity.

Access and season depend on elevation and snow. Lower and mid-elevation areas open earlier in spring and stay accessible into fall; higher terrain is best visited June through September. Winter transforms the forest into a snow-covered landscape where access can be limited, and high-elevation roads and many trails close. Spring runoff and summer monsoons are seasonal realities. The forest is administered by the Forest Service and welcomes dispersed camping and day-use recreation on its open lands.