{{Short description|Forest in Colorado, United States}} {{More citations needed|date=June 2012}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Pike National Forest | map = USA | relief = 1 | map_caption = | image = Pike National Forest.jpg | image_caption = Near Devil's Head Lookout | label = | label_position = | marker_size = | location = Clear Creek, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Park, and Teller counties, Colorado, United States | nearest_city = Colorado Springs, Colorado | coordinates = {{coord|39|11|N|105|19|W|region:US-CO|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref = | area_acre = 1106604 | established = February 1892 | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = U.S. Forest Service | website = [http://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc Pike and San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands] }} The '''Pike National Forest''' is located in the Front Range of Colorado, United States, west of Colorado Springs including Pikes Peak. The forest encompasses 1,106,604 acres (4,478 km<sup>2</sup>) within Clear Creek, Teller, Park, Jefferson, Douglas and El Paso counties. The major rivers draining the forest are the South Platte and Fountain Creek. Rampart Reservoir is a large artificial body of water located within the forest.
The forest is named after American explorer Zebulon Pike.
Much of the bedrock within Pike National Forest is made up of the coarse, pink to orange Pikes Peak granite. {{stack|right|thumb|Pike National Forest map}}
==Administration== Pike National Forest is managed in association with San Isabel National Forest and Comanche National Grassland in Colorado, as well as Cimarron National Grassland in Kansas and is headquartered in Pueblo, Colorado. There are local ranger district offices located in Colorado Springs, Fairplay and Morrison.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ufwda.org/pdfs/USDAForestServiceRangerDistricts.pdf |title=USFS Ranger Districts by State |access-date=2009-05-20 |archive-date=2012-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119235755/http://www.ufwda.org/pdfs/USDAForestServiceRangerDistricts.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Forest fires== thumb|left|Pike National Forest in the fall.
The dry climate of Pike National Forest makes it prime wildfire territory. The first recorded fires occurred in the 19th century. The forest was recently the location of the Hayman Fire in 2002 and the Waldo Canyon Fire in 2012. The former burned {{convert|138,114|acres|km2|abbr=on|adj=on}} and 133 homes <ref name="usda">{{cite web|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoY6BdkOyoCAGixyPg!/?navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=fsm9_032493&navid=091000000000000&pnavid=null&ss=110212&position=Not%2520Yet%2520Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Pike%2520and%2520San%2520Isabel%2520National%2520Forests,%2520Cimarron%2520and%2520Comanche%2520National%2520Grasslands-%2520Home|website=fs.usda.gov|access-date=2020-05-24|url-status=dead|title=Pike2520and2520San2520Isabel2520National2520Forests,2520Cimarron2520and2520Comanche2520National2520Grasslands-2520Home|archive-date=2016-08-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819104404/http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoY6BdkOyoCAGixyPg!/?navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=fsm9_032493&navid=091000000000000&pnavid=null&ss=110212&position=Not%2520Yet%2520Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Pike%2520and%2520San%2520Isabel%2520National%2520Forests,%2520Cimarron%2520and%2520Comanche%2520National%2520Grasslands-%2520Home}}</ref> while the latter burned {{convert|18,247|acres|km2|abbr=on|adj=on}} and 346 homes.<ref name="waldofire">{{cite web|url=http://waldofire.org/waldocanyonfire2012/|website=waldofire.org|access-date=2020-05-24|url-status=dead|title=Waldo Canyon Fire ||archive-date=2016-06-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604101629/http://waldofire.org/waldocanyonfire2012/}}</ref>
The Pike and San Isabel National Forest was recently awarded a major reclamation project to fix the damage from the Hayman wildfire. The project was sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation, in conjunction with several university bookstores. Pike and San Isabel was voted the winner from a group of three separate forests. The vote took place at www.buildaforest.com. The school that placed the most votes for Pike and San Isabel National Forest was the University of Central Florida; the Pike and San Isabel National Forest will be a given a name honoring the effort by UCF students, alumni, and supporters.
==Wilderness areas== There are three officially designated wilderness areas lying within Pike National Forest that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Two of them extend into neighboring National Forests (as indicated). * Buffalo Peaks Wilderness, 67.83 square miles (partly in San Isabel NF) * Lost Creek Wilderness, 187 square miles * Mount Evans Wilderness, 116.3 square miles (mostly in Arapaho NF)
==Climate== Most of the forest experiences a Highland climate with warm summers and cold winters. Even in the summer, nights are cool due to the forest's high elevation. Temperatures and precipitation vary widely throughout the forest, depending on elevation. Most of the forest receives more than 100 inches of snow a year. {{Clear}}
{{Weather box |location = Ruxton Park, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1959–present |single line = Yes
|Jan record high F = 62 |Feb record high F = 60 |Mar record high F = 66 |Apr record high F = 72 |May record high F = 81 |Jun record high F = 88 |Jul record high F = 89 |Aug record high F = 86 |Sep record high F = 84 |Oct record high F = 76 |Nov record high F = 69 |Dec record high F = 64
|Jan avg record high F = 51.5 |Feb avg record high F = 51.6 |Mar avg record high F = 57.2 |Apr avg record high F = 62.6 |May avg record high F = 72.0 |Jun avg record high F = 80.3 |Jul avg record high F = 81.2 |Aug avg record high F = 77.6 |Sep avg record high F = 74.6 |Oct avg record high F = 68.5 |Nov avg record high F = 57.5 |Dec avg record high F = 52.2 |year avg record high F = 82.4
|Jan high F = 38.7 |Feb high F = 39.4 |Mar high F = 45.1 |Apr high F = 50.5 |May high F = 59.4 |Jun high F = 70.5 |Jul high F = 74.0 |Aug high F = 71.5 |Sep high F = 65.9 |Oct high F = 55.7 |Nov high F = 46.0 |Dec high F = 38.9 |year high F =
|Jan mean F = 25.7 |Feb mean F = 26.5 |Mar mean F = 32.5 |Apr mean F = 38.0 |May mean F = 46.2 |Jun mean F = 56.3 |Jul mean F = 60.3 |Aug mean F = 58.1 |Sep mean F = 52.5 |Oct mean F = 42.7 |Nov mean F = 32.8 |Dec mean F = 26.0 |year mean F =
|Jan low F = 12.6 |Feb low F = 13.6 |Mar low F = 19.9 |Apr low F = 25.6 |May low F = 32.9 |Jun low F = 42.1 |Jul low F = 46.5 |Aug low F = 44.6 |Sep low F = 39.1 |Oct low F = 29.8 |Nov low F = 19.5 |Dec low F = 13.0 |year low F =
|Jan avg record low F = -9.3 |Feb avg record low F = -9.4 |Mar avg record low F = -2.7 |Apr avg record low F = 4.2 |May avg record low F = 16.0 |Jun avg record low F = 27.6 |Jul avg record low F = 34.2 |Aug avg record low F = 33.7 |Sep avg record low F = 22.4 |Oct avg record low F = 8.2 |Nov avg record low F = -4.0 |Dec avg record low F = -10.6 |year avg record low F = -15.1
|Jan record low F = -35 |Feb record low F = -33 |Mar record low F = -21 |Apr record low F = -18 |May record low F = 3 |Jun record low F = 14 |Jul record low F = 24 |Aug record low F = 23 |Sep record low F = 4 |Oct record low F = -10 |Nov record low F = -25 |Dec record low F = -28
|precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation inch = 0.74 |Feb precipitation inch = 0.97 |Mar precipitation inch = 1.88 |Apr precipitation inch = 3.13 |May precipitation inch = 2.55 |Jun precipitation inch = 2.11 |Jul precipitation inch = 3.89 |Aug precipitation inch = 3.94 |Sep precipitation inch = 1.93 |Oct precipitation inch = 1.19 |Nov precipitation inch = 0.85 |Dec precipitation inch = 0.76 |year precipitation inch =
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in |Jan precipitation days = 4.8 |Feb precipitation days = 5.5 |Mar precipitation days = 6.7 |Apr precipitation days = 8.5 |May precipitation days = 10.3 |Jun precipitation days = 10.6 |Jul precipitation days = 16.2 |Aug precipitation days = 16.8 |Sep precipitation days = 8.8 |Oct precipitation days = 5.8 |Nov precipitation days = 5.3 |Dec precipitation days = 5.2
|Jan snow inch = 12.5 |Feb snow inch = 13.6 |Mar snow inch = 26.2 |Apr snow inch = 32.3 |May snow inch = 9.6 |Jun snow inch = 0.4 |Jul snow inch = 0.0 |Aug snow inch = 0.0 |Sep snow inch = 1.8 |Oct snow inch = 10.4 |Nov snow inch = 12.6 |Dec snow inch = 14.1 |year snow inch =
|unit snow days = 0.1 in |Jan snow days = 5.1 |Feb snow days = 5.5 |Mar snow days = 7.1 |Apr snow days = 7.1 |May snow days = 3.1 |Jun snow days = 0.3 |Jul snow days = 0.0 |Aug snow days = 0.0 |Sep snow days = 0.6 |Oct snow days = 3.1 |Nov snow days = 4.6 |Dec snow days = 5.4
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA> {{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00057309&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Ruxton Park, CO |access-date = January 1, 2023 }} </ref> |source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData> {{cite web |url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=pub |publisher = National Weather Service |title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Pueblo |access-date = January 1, 2023 }} </ref> }}
{{Clear}} {{Weather box|location = Lake Moraine Weather Station (Elevation 10,240ft) |single line = Y |Jan record high F = 56 |Feb record high F = 57 |Mar record high F = 61 |Apr record high F = 65 |May record high F = 73 |Jun record high F = 85 |Jul record high F = 82 |Aug record high F = 82 |Sep record high F = 75 |Oct record high F = 71 |Nov record high F = 60 |Dec record high F = 62 |year record high F = 85 |Jan high F = 31.2 |Feb high F = 32.0 |Mar high F = 35.2 |Apr high F = 41.9 |May high F = 50.5 |Jun high F = 61.6 |Jul high F = 65.9 |Aug high F = 64.3 |Sep high F = 59.5 |Oct high F = 49.9 |Nov high F = 39.9 |Dec high F = 33.1 |year high F = 47.1 |Jan low F = 9.6 |Feb low F = 9.8 |Mar low F = 13.2 |Apr low F = 20.6 |May low F = 28.8 |Jun low F = 37.6 |Jul low F = 41.8 |Aug low F = 40.9 |Sep low F = 35.6 |Oct low F = 26.3 |Nov low F = 16.9 |Dec low F = 10.8 |year low F = 24.3 |Jan record low F = −34 |Feb record low F = −37 |Mar record low F = −30 |Apr record low F = -12 |May record low F = -3 |Jun record low F = 14 |Jul record low F = 25 |Aug record low F = 24 |Sep record low F = 8 |Oct record low F = -10 |Nov record low F = −19 |Dec record low F = −24 |year record low F = −34 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation inch = 0.68 |Feb precipitation inch = 0.91 |Mar precipitation inch = 1.63 |Apr precipitation inch = 2.92 |May precipitation inch = 2.86 |Jun precipitation inch = 2.44 |Jul precipitation inch = 4.29 |Aug precipitation inch = 3.80 |Sep precipitation inch = 1.67 |Oct precipitation inch = 1.42 |Nov precipitation inch = 0.80 |Dec precipitation inch = 0.73 |year precipitation inch = 24.16 |Jan snow inch = 11.7 |Feb snow inch = 15.8 |Mar snow inch = 25.4 |Apr snow inch = 37.6 |May snow inch = 19.6 |Jun snow inch = 1.8 |Jul snow inch = 0 |Aug snow inch = 0 |Sep snow inch = 2.2 |Oct snow inch = 12.4 |Nov snow inch = 14.1 |Dec snow inch = 12.0 |year snow inch = 152.7 |date=March 2013}}
==See also== *List of national forests of the United States *United States Army Pike’s Peak Research Laboratory *Devil's Head Lookout *Culturally modified trees *Barr Trail
==References== {{reflist|1}} {{clear}}
==External links== {{sister project links}} *[http://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands] (United States Forest Service) *{{Commons category-inline}}
{{Colorado}} {{Protected areas of Colorado}} {{National Forests of the United States}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Pike National Forest Category:National forests of Colorado Category:National forests of the Rocky Mountains Category:Protected areas of Clear Creek County, Colorado Category:Protected areas of Teller County, Colorado Category:Protected areas of Park County, Colorado Category:Protected areas of Jefferson County, Colorado Category:Protected areas of Douglas County, Colorado Category:Protected areas of El Paso County, Colorado Category:Pikes Peak Category:Protected areas established in 1892 Category:1892 establishments in Colorado