Apache National Forest, Former national forest in eastern Arizona, United States.
Apache National Forest stretches across Greenlee County, southern Apache County, and western Catron County in New Mexico. The wooded area encompasses different landscape types and supports both forested and open highland regions.
The U.S. Forest Service created this forest on July 1, 1908, drawing land from what had been Black Mesa National Forest. The woodland area was part of the early conservation efforts in the American Southwest.
The forest land carries the name of the Apache peoples and includes four wilderness areas that shape the landscape: Bear Wallow, Blue Range Primitive Area, Escudilla, and Mount Baldy. These protected zones show how the forest has been preserved for conservation and traditional uses.
Three ranger district offices manage the woodland area from Alpine, Clifton, and Springerville locations. Springerville serves as the main headquarters for the combined administration with Sitgreaves National Forest.
In 1974, the forest merged administratively with Sitgreaves National Forest to create the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. This consolidation established a combined management structure that continues operating today.
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