National Forest Safety Tips

Above, grazing cattle in Six Mile Canyon of Cibola National Forest. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

National forests are great places for recreation. I am lucky that Cibola National Forest is about a mile away from our New Mexico community. I use the Six Mile Canyon of it for Jeeping on forest roads. Others use it for hiking and camping.

Above, Jeep driving on Six Mile Canyon Road. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

TravelAwaits posted an article on safety tips for one's first national forest experience.

They begin it with:

Since its creation in 1891 via the Forest Reserve Act of 1891, the National Forest Service (or NFS), a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has established 177 protected areas totaling over 192 million acres. That includes 155 forests and 22 national grasslands. Breaking that down even further, the NFS maintains 403 wilderness areas and 23,000 developed recreation areas.

Those are some impressive numbers, but what it means for you and me are amazingly beautiful landscapes to explore, with cascading waterfalls, shimmering lakes and ponds, towering mountain ranges, and so much more. And best of all -- it’s all publicly owned. And you may not know this, but there is probably a national forest just down the road from you. In fact, 7 out of 10 Americans live within 100 miles of a national forest.

There is a major difference between national parks and national forests. A national park protects and preserves unique places, such as historic and natural sites like the Grand Canyon National Park or the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. National forests, on the other hand, protect large tracts of lush wetlands, thick forests, waving grasslands, wilderness areas, and thousands of miles of rivers and streams all designated as being multiple use. Forest land is not only used for outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and camping, but also logging and cattle pasture grazing.

So, what is there to experience in your national forests? Plenty!

Above, a Six Mile Canyon/Cibola National Forest campsite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.