Gila National Forest

The Gila National Forest is a National Forest of the United States, which is located in southwestern New Mexico. It is bordered to the west by the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest, located in the neighboring state of Arizona. It covers 13,454 square kilometers, of which 88 % are classified as forest land. The year-round water-bearing Gila River flows through parts of the Gila National Forest.

In the Gila National Forest and adjacent national forests in Arizona the Mexican wolf was reintroduced, which was already extinct in the wild. In the area there are various wilderness protected areas, which are designated as Wilderness. One among them is the 2,260 -square-mile Gila Wilderness. The region is characterized by mountainous country, where the yellow - pine dominated as a species. Especially on the mountain feet occur evergreen oaks and junipers. In the valleys shrub landscapes prevail. Are always open prairie areas between the woods and parklands. Among the larger animals of the area include elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, bighorn sheep and peccaries. The adjacent Apache - Sitgreaves National Forest are included in the area in front of 57,000 whitetail or mule deer and elk 16,000.

In addition, black bears and cougars are found in the area. Hikers in the Gila Wilderness is therefore recommended to keep food away from the sleeping area, so as not to attract these predators.

In the area of the Gila National Forest also said to have been repeatedly spotted the jaguar in the recent past.

Swell

33.5 - 108.66666666667Koordinaten: 33 ° 30 '0 "N, 108 ° 40 ' 0 " W

• Forest area in North America
• National Forest (United States)
• Geography (New Mexico)