Editing Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests

{{Short description|Protected areas in Arizona and New Mexico}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Use American English|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Apache–Sitgreaves National Forest
| photo = Apache Abbas.JPG
| photo_caption =
| map = USA
| relief = 1
| map_caption =
| location = [[Arizona]] and [[New Mexico]], [[United States]]
| nearest_city = [[Springerville, Arizona|Springerville]]
| coordinates = {{coords|33|38|N|109|17|W|display=inline, title}}
| area_acre = 2761386
| area_ref = <ref name="area">{{cite web |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/lar/LAR2011/LAR2011_Book_A5.pdf |title=Land Areas of the National Forest System As of September 30, 2011 |publisher=U.S. Forest Service |access-date=2012-03-19}}</ref>
| established =
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = [[United States Forest Service|U.S. Forest Service]]
| website = [http://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf Apache–Sitgreaves National Forest]
}}

The '''Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests'''{{efn|Despite being a single entity, the forest is officially known under the term "forests".}} is a {{convert|2.76|e6acre|km2|0|adj=on}}<ref name="area" /> [[United States National Forest]] which runs along the [[Mogollon Rim]] and the [[White Mountains (Arizona)|White Mountains]] in east-central [[Arizona]] and into the [[U.S. state]] of [[New Mexico]]. Formerly two forests, it is currently managed as one unit by [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] [[United States Forest Service|Forest Service]] from the Forest Supervisors Office in [[Springerville, Arizona]]. Apache–Sitgreaves has over 400 species of wildlife{{Citation needed|date=February 2017}}. With its high elevation and cool summer breezes it is a popular weekend destination from the hot desert for [[Phoenix, Arizona]], residents. The forest is divided into 5 Ranger Districts (Clifton, Alpine, Springerville, Lakeside, and Black Mesa) that span almost {{convert|300|mi|km}} from Clifton, Arizona in the east-central portion of Arizona to the eastern boundary of the [[Coconino National Forest]] in north-central Arizona.  The Apache–Sitgreaves National Forest borders the western and northern borders of the [[Fort Apache Indian Reservation]]. It is located in parts of [[Greenlee County, Arizona|Greenlee]], [[Apache County, Arizona|Apache]], [[Navajo County, Arizona|Navajo]], and [[Coconino County, Arizona|Coconino]] counties in eastern and east-central Arizona, and [[Catron County, New Mexico|Catron County]] in western New Mexico. The more northwesterly [[Sitgreaves National Forest]] portion lies adjacent to the north side of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and is located entirely in Arizona, within Navajo, Apache, and Coconino counties. It has a total area of {{convert|818,651|acre|km2|0}}. The more southeasterly and much larger [[Apache National Forest]] portion lies adjacent to the east side of the Fort Apache and the [[San Carlos Indian Reservation|San Carlos]] Indian Reservations. It lies on both sides of the border with New Mexico, in Greenlee, Catron, and Apache counties. It has a total area of {{convert|1,813,601|acre|km2|0}}.<ref>[http://www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/lar/2007/TABLE_6.htm Table 6 – NFS Acreage by State, Congressional District and County] – [[United States Forest Service]] – September 30, 2007</ref>

== Lakes, rivers, and streams ==
[[File:Apache national forest.jpg|thumb|Apache National Forest]]
[[File:Greer Rnger Station, 1924.jpg|thumb|[[Greer, Arizona]], Ranger Station, 1924]]

Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests has eight notable cold water lakes and boasts numerous lakes and reservoirs and over 680 miles (1094&nbsp;km) of rivers and streams. The headwaters for the [[Black River (Arizona)|Black]], [[Little Colorado River|Little Colorado]], and [[San Francisco River (central Arizona)|San Francisco]] rivers are in the White Mountains.
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Aker Lake]]
* [[Big Lake, Arizona|Big Lake]]
* [[Woods Canyon Lake, Arizona|Woods Canyon Lake]]
* [[Willow Springs Lake]]
* [[Black Canyon Lake (Arizona)|Black Canyon Lake]]
* [[Chevelon Canyon Lake, Arizona|Chevelon Canyon Lake]]
* [[Luna Lake, Arizona|Luna Lake]]
* [[Bear Canyon Lake]]
* [[Crescent Lake, Arizona|Crescent Lake]]
* [[Blue River, Arizona|Blue River]]
{{div col end}}

== Wilderness areas ==
There are four [[wilderness area]]s within Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests. All lie within the former [[Apache National Forest]] section. Three have been officially designated by Congress as part of the [[National Wilderness Preservation System]].<ref>[http://www.wilderness.net/ Wilderness.net website]</ref>
* [[Bear Wallow Wilderness]]
* [[Escudilla Wilderness]]
* [[Mount Baldy Wilderness]]
The fourth, the Blue Range Primitive Area, was designated as a [[Primitive Area]] by the Secretary of Agriculture in 1933. The area has been managed under the highest level of forest service protection to maintain its wilderness qualities. It was recommended that this area be included in the [[Blue Range Wilderness]] in 1971, but in 1980 Congress only acted upon an adjacent New Mexico portion within [[Gila National Forest]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/asnf/recarea/?recid=75388|title=Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests – Blue Range Primitive Area – Alpine District Parcel|website=www.fs.usda.gov|access-date=2016-11-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/gila/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5039821|title=Gila National Forest – Special Places|website=www.fs.usda.gov|access-date=2016-11-13}}</ref>

== History ==
About 18 miles southwest of [[Alpine, Arizona]] is the Hannagan Meadow area with a lodge, trailheads, and campground. The meadow was named after Robert Hannagan, a miner and cattle rancher from [[Nevada]]. One local legend is that Hannagan was chained to a tree near the meadow until his debt of $1,200 was paid off.  It was promptly paid by his son, but the name stuck.<ref>Youman, Becky (2006) ''Open Road's Best of Arizona'' Open Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, p. 122, {{ISBN|1-59360-084-4}}</ref> Another story suggests that Toles Cosper, a rancher from over to [[Luna, New Mexico|Luna]], was riding with the young Hannagan when they came across the meadow during the 1870s. They flipped a coin to see which man they would name it after, and Hannagan won.<ref name="Waite-1">Waite, Tessa (2003) [http://www.hannaganmeadow.com/img/history.pdf "History of Hannagan Meadow Lodge"] pp. 1–2</ref>

In 1909, while surveying for US Route 191, John D. Guthrie observed that "there was neither fence nor cabin at Hannagan Meadow."<ref name="Tucker-153">Tucker, Edwin A. and Fitzpatrick, George (1972) [https://books.google.com/books?id=qxJJAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA153 ''Men who matched the mountains: the Forest Service in the Southwest''] (pp. 153–55), United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington D.C., citing a paper read by John D. Guthrie at the dedication of the [[U.S. Route 191|Coronado Trail Road]].</ref> However, with the advent of road construction on the [[U.S. Route 191|Coronado Trail Road]] (later Coronado Trail Scenic Byway) tourism became a possibility, and Toles Cosper's son, DeWitt Cosper, built a lodge there in 1926.<ref name="Waite-1" /> The Hannagan Meadow Lodge provided tourists and travelers with rental cabins, single rooms for rent and a general store. As of 2016, the Lodge is still there and still serving tourists and travelers.<ref>[http://www.hannaganmeadow.com/ "Hannagan Meadow Lodge"]</ref>

== Climate ==
Hannagan Meadows has a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Dsb]]). Summers are typically pleasant, with warm days and cool nights. Winters are moderately cold, with brisk days and chilly nights. Hannagan Meadows has five seasons, with Spring being the driest and Summer being the wettest. The dry part of Summer typically begins at the beginning of June, and lasts into July. The Monsoon season usually begins by mid-July ([[North American Monsoon]]) and lasts until the beginning of September, with thunderstorms being very common. Autumn begins during September, and can last to the end of November, with cool – mild days and nights beginning to dip below freezing. Winter usually begins by late November, and lasts until the end of February, but wintry days can be observed during March, and even as late as April, with heavy snowfall being common. Spring usually starts during early March, and lasts well into may, and is usually relatively dry. The highest temperature recorded in Hannagan Meadows is {{convert|94|°F}} and occurred on August 6, 2019. The lowest temperature recorded in Hannagan Meadows is {{convert|−17|°F}} and occurred on January 7, 1989. Interestingly, the highest minimum and the lowest maximum temperatures recorded occurred in the same year, 2011, and are {{convert|61|°F}} for the highest minimum which occurred on September 5, and {{convert|6|°F}} for the lowest maximum which occurred on February 2. The first and last average freeze dates are June 3 and September 25, giving Hannagan Meadows a growing season of 114 days.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Team|first=National Weather Service Corporate Image Web|title=National Weather Service – NWS Tucson|url=https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=twc|access-date=2020-07-23|website=w2.weather.gov|language=EN-US}}</ref>{{Weather box
| location    = Hannagan Meadows (1979–2020)
| single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 64
| Feb record high F = 67
| Mar record high F = 71
| Apr record high F = 77
| May record high F = 91
| Jun record high F = 91
| Jul record high F = 91
| Aug record high F = 94
| Sep record high F = 92
| Oct record high F = 77
| Nov record high F = 78
| Dec record high F = 70
| Jan record low F = -17
| Feb record low F = -10
| Mar record low F = -7
| Apr record low F = -3
| May record low F = 14
| Jun record low F = 19
| Jul record low F = 33
| Aug record low F = 30
| Sep record low F = 22
| Oct record low F = 7
| Nov record low F = -5
| Dec record low F = -16
| Jan high F = 43.2
| Feb high F = 46
| Mar high F = 51.2
| Apr high F = 55.9
| May high F = 63.5
| Jun high F = 73.1
| Jul high F = 73.5
| Aug high F = 71.2
| Sep high F = 67.1
| Oct high F = 58.8
| Nov high F = 49.4
| Dec high F = 42.2
| Jan mean F = 30
| Feb mean F = 32.2
| Mar mean F = 36.8
| Apr mean F = 41.5
| May mean F = 48.6
| Jun mean F = 57.3
| Jul mean F = 60.2
| Aug mean F = 58.4
| Sep mean F = 53.8
| Oct mean F = 45.1
| Nov mean F = 36.4
| Dec mean F = 29.5
| Jan low F = 16.6
| Feb low F = 18.3
| Mar low F = 22.2
| Apr low F = 27.1
| May low F = 33.6
| Jun low F = 41.4
| Jul low F = 46.8
| Aug low F = 45.6
| Sep low F = 40.6
| Oct low F = 31.5
| Nov low F = 23.2
| Dec low F = 16.6
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 3.06
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.96
| Mar precipitation inch = 2.56
| Apr precipitation inch = 1.34
| May precipitation inch = 0.99
| Jun precipitation inch = 0.75
| Jul precipitation inch = 4.11
| Aug precipitation inch = 4.96
| Sep precipitation inch = 2.87
| Oct precipitation inch = 2.18
| Nov precipitation inch = 2.59
| Dec precipitation inch = 3.27
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| Dec sun = |date=July 2020}}

== See also ==
* {{portal-inline|Arizona}}
* 
* [[List of U.S. National Forests]]
* [[Travis Walton UFO incident]]
* [[Rattlesnake Fire (2018)]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests}}
* {{Official website|https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf}}

{{Protected areas of Arizona}}
{{Protected areas of New Mexico}}
{{National Forests of the United States}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests| ]]
[[Category:National forests of Arizona]]
[[Category:National forests of New Mexico]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Greenlee County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Apache County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Navajo County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Coconino County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Catron County, New Mexico]]
[[Category:White Mountains (Arizona)]]
[[Category:1974 establishments in Arizona]]
[[Category:1974 establishments in New Mexico]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1974]]