Park

Arapaho National Forest

Colorado, USA South Platte watershed 39.360°, -106.030°
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Campgrounds
60
Trails
60
Points of interest
26
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Arapaho National Forest -- Colorado park
Arapaho National Forest Colorado · South Platte watershed
About this park

Arapaho National Forest

Arapaho National Forest is located in the state of Colorado, covering an area of 723,744 acres. It offers a great opportunity for visitors to enjoy the beauty of nature and participate in a variety of outdoor activities. Some of the reasons to visit the forest include camping, hiking, fishing, and wildlife watching.

The forest has several points of interest to explore, such as the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, the Mount Evans Wilderness Area, and the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Visitors can also enjoy the scenic drive along the Peak to Peak Highway, which is a beautiful way to experience the majesty of the Rocky Mountains.

Arapaho National Forest is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including moose, elk, bighorn sheep, black bears, and mountain lions. Visitors can enjoy observing these animals in their natural habitats, but should always take proper precautions to ensure their safety.

The best time to visit Arapaho National Forest is during the summer months, when the weather is mild and the trails are open for hiking. However, visitors should be prepared for sudden changes in weather and should always check weather conditions before heading out.

In summary, Arapaho National Forest is a beautiful and diverse destination that offers a range of outdoor activities and stunning natural attractions. It is a great place to visit for anyone looking to explore the beauty of Colorado's mountains.
StateColorado
WatershedSouth Platte
Latitude39.3599°
Longitude-106.0297°
In the park

Streamflow in Arapaho National Forest

Live USGS discharge at streamgauges inside the park boundary.

GaugeFlow
South Clear Creek Abv Lower Cabin Creek Reservoir · 5.27 ft gage 5 cfs
Leavenworth Creek @ Mouth Nr Georgetown · 3.66 ft gage 9 cfs
Chicago Creek Blw Devils Canyon Nr Idaho Sprgs Co · 0.43 ft gage 3 cfs
Clear Creek Abv West Fork Clear Creek Nr Empire Co · 3.76 ft gage 34 cfs
Fall River Near Idaho Springs · 4.09 ft gage 16 cfs
West Fork Clear Creek Abv Mouth Nr Empire · 4.47 ft gage 31 cfs
Clear Creek Near Lawson · 2.91 ft gage 65 cfs
Berthoud Pass Ditch At Berthoud Pass · 0.13 ft gage 0 cfs
Moffat Water Tunnel At East Portal · 0.67 ft gage 30 cfs
Ranch Creek Blw Meadow Cr Nr Tabernash Co · 6.70 ft gage 7 cfs
Bobtail Creek Near Jones Pass · 2.58 ft gage 4 cfs
Williams Fork Below Steelman Creek · 2.70 ft gage 1 cfs
South Fork Of Williams Fork Near Leal · 2.32 ft gage 9 cfs
Williams Fork Above Darling Creek · 4.58 ft gage 7 cfs
Williams Fork Near Leal · 1.54 ft gage 25 cfs
Fraser River At Upper Sta · 0.76 ft gage 7 cfs
Elk Creek At Upper Station · 5.00 ft gage 1 cfs
Fraser River At Winter Park · 0.97 ft gage 10 cfs
St. Louis Creek Near Fraser · 1.45 ft gage 12 cfs
Vasquez Creek At Winter Park · 1.51 ft gage 7 cfs
Ranch Creek Near Fraser · 4.45 ft gage 3 cfs
Cabin Creek Near Fraser · 1.71 ft gage 1 cfs
Fraser River Blw Crooked Cr At Tabernash Co · 2.50 ft gage 22 cfs
Blue River At Blue River · 0.69 ft gage 15 cfs
Blue River Near Dillon · 4.52 ft gage 46 cfs
Tenmile Creek Bl North Tenmile C · 1.84 ft gage 27 cfs
Keystone Gulch Near Dillon · 1.98 ft gage 3 cfs
Snake River Near Montezuma · 1.28 ft gage 26 cfs
Blue River Below Dillon · 0.86 ft gage 54 cfs
Straight Cr Blw Laskey Gulch Nr Dillon · 3.96 ft gage 3 cfs
Blue River Below Green Mountain Reservoir · 4.51 ft gage 444 cfs
S Clear Cr Abv Lwr Cabin Cr Res Spilwy Nr Georgtwn · 0.34 ft gage 5 cfs
In the park

Trails in Arapaho National Forest

Named trails whose route falls inside the park.

American Gulch Road
2.2 mi · Hiking, Running
Argentine Central Railroad Grade Trail
13.0 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Barton Creek Loop Trail
2.0 mi · Hiking, Running
Beartrack Lakes Trail
5.3 mi · Hiking, Horseback, Running
Beaver Meadows
0.2 mi · Hiking, Running
Beaver Ridge Road
4.9 mi · Hiking, Running
Bike Path
0.3 mi · Biking
Boec Road
0.3 mi · Hiking, Running
Bronco Road
0.5 mi · Hiking, Running
Burnout Loop
1.6 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Caribou Road
1.2 mi · Hiking, Running
Chainsaw
3.0 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Chicago Road Trail
0.7 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Clear Creek Greenway
1.6 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Columbine Trail
0.2 mi · Hiking, Running
Cook Creek Road
4.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Core Trail
1.6 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Creekside
2.8 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Dakota Hill Spur Road
2.8 mi · Hiking, Running
Democrat Mountain Road
4.0 mi · Hiking, Running
Devil's Thumb Trail
0.8 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Dillon Reservoir Recpath
8.0 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Elk Meadow
1.0 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Fraser River Trail
6.8 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Fraser To Granby Trail
13.7 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Friends
1.3 mi · Hiking, Running
Fuller Trail
1.7 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Galena Gulch Road
2.1 mi · Hiking, Running
Grays Peak Trail
1.3 mi · Hiking, Running
Green World
4.6 mi · Biking
Hankison Res. Road
7.2 mi · Hiking, Running
Haystack Powerline Road
1.6 mi · Hiking, Running
Hermit Placer Trail
0.8 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Humbug Hill Road
0.8 mi · Hiking, Running
Indian Creek Trail 41
2.1 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Jody's Loop
1.9 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
King Lake
3.8 mi · Hiking, Horseback, Running
Lower Fruit Loop
0.7 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Lynch
0.6 mi · Hiking, Running
Montana Mountain East
1.1 mi · Hiking, Running
Morning Glory
0.9 mi · Hiking, Running
Mount Nystrom Trail
1.2 mi · Hiking, Running
Mount Royal Trail
1.7 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
North Spring Spurs Road
1.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Pawnee Peak
0.4 mi · Hiking, Running
Peaks Trail
6.6 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Peaks Trail
0.0 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Peaks Trail
0.0 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Pumpbouse Pass Spur Trail
0.6 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Railbed
0.5 mi · Biking, Hiking, Horseback, Running
Second Creek Trail
1.9 mi · Hiking, Horseback, Running
Shock Hill
1.1 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Snake River Recpath
3.2 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
South Boulder Creek Trail
4.7 mi · Hiking, Horseback, Running
Spruce Creek Trail
1.9 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Tenmile Recpath
16.1 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Upper Blue Recpath
8.8 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Wellington Trail
1.4 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Wilcox Loop Road
0.9 mi · Hiking, Running
Winter Park To Fraser Trail
1.8 mi · Biking, Hiking, Running
Detailed forecast

Plan your visit down to the hour

Same weather feed Snoflo's iOS app uses -- updated continuously from NOAA / yr.no.

Hourly detail

Next 5 days, hour by hour

Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.

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Deep dive

5-day forecast table

Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind.

TimeConditionTemp (°F)Snow (in)Rain (in)Humidity (%)Wind (mps)Wind dir
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Long-term outlook

15-day temperature & precipitation

Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.

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Responsible recreation & Leave No Trace

Know before you go
Check the operator's site for hours, permit requirements, seasonal closures, and fire restrictions before heading out.
Stay on trail
Stick to marked paths to protect vegetation, prevent erosion, and avoid disturbing wildlife habitat.
Respect wildlife
Observe from a distance, never feed wildlife, and store food securely if camping is permitted on-site.
Pack it in, pack it out
Carry out all trash, food scraps, and gear. Many parks have limited or no trash service.
Leave what you find
Don't take rocks, plants, or artifacts. They make the park what it is for the next visitor.

Set push alerts in the Snoflo app

Save Arapaho National Forest as a favorite, set a custom threshold (precipitation, freezing temperatures, fire-restriction days), and the iOS app will push the moment conditions cross.

FAQ

About Arapaho National Forest

What can I do at Arapaho National Forest?

Most Snoflo-tracked parks support hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing. Check the operator's site for activity-specific rules (camping, fishing, paddling, hunting).

How fresh is the weather data?

The hourly forecast updates throughout the day from NOAA / yr.no. Streamflow comes live from USGS streamgauges.

When is the best time to visit?

Use the 15-day temperature & precipitation outlook on this page to plan -- pick a window with comfortable temperatures and low precipitation.

How do I get to Arapaho National Forest?

Tap Directions in the hero above to open driving directions in Google Maps, or Open in map to center the Snoflo interactive map on the park.

Can I get alerts when conditions change?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this park, set a threshold (temperature, precipitation), and you'll get a push the moment it crosses.

Land designation

Park & land designation reference

A quick legend for the federal and state land categories Snoflo tracks. Each designation comes with different rules around access, recreation, and resource extraction.

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing, often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes); may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use -- recreation, grazing, mining, conservation -- with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.