Arapaho National Forest, National Forest in north-central Colorado, United States

Arapaho National Forest is a large forest area in north-central Colorado that covers mountainous and valley terrain across the Colorado River watershed. The landscape includes dense evergreen forests, high alpine meadows, and river valleys with lakes and streams throughout.

President Theodore Roosevelt established this forest in 1908 and named it after the Arapaho people who historically inhabited Colorado's eastern plains. The creation was part of a broader effort to protect western wilderness lands during the early conservation era.

The forest's name comes from the Arapaho people, who once lived on Colorado's Eastern Plains. Six designated wilderness areas lie within its boundaries, among them Indian Peaks, shared with Roosevelt National Forest and Rocky Mountain National Park, and Mount Evans Wilderness. Most of the 1984 film Red Dawn is set here, and the forest features in Laurell K. Hamilton's novel Affliction.

The forest provides multiple trailheads, established campgrounds, and wildlife viewing areas accessible through main entry points in Grand and Clear Creek counties. Facilities and information are available at these gateway locations to help visitors plan their time in the forest.

Most of the 1984 film Red Dawn is set in Arapaho National Forest, and the forest also features in Laurell K. Hamilton's novel Affliction. The forest has no venomous snakes anywhere within its boundaries, a detail few visitors expect in Colorado.