Mining was and still is an important industry of the forest region. The mines of Telluride and Ophir, in San Miguel County, have been heavy producers. Telluride, with its famous Liberty Bell, Smuggler Union, and Tomboy mines, is still one of the producing camps of southwestern Colorado. Figures furnished by the United States Bureau of Mines place the total ore production of these camps during the period 1875 to 1937, inclusive, at $119,349,969. The output for 1930 to 1937, inclusive, was $2,539,940. Rico, the principal mining camp of Dolores County, reached the peak of production in 1893, when ores to the value of $2,696,371 were mined. The total output of mines in that vicinity since 1879 is placed at $20,574,557. Mining claims may be located in the national forests wherever ores of sufficient value to justify development are found. Legitimate mining is encouraged by the Forest Service. RECREATION USE AND DEVELOPMENT The recreation areas of the forest are extensively used by local residents and tourists for picnicking, camping, fishing, hunting, and riding. Improved public camp and picnic grounds are available at many attractive points and are equipped with fireplaces, tables, and sanitary facilities. Medium-price resort accommodations are available near and within the forest from which trips may be made to points of scenic and historical interest. Saddle horses and pack horses are obtainable for those who wish to ride or camp in the back country and see the forest from the many trails that lead into the areas not accessible by roads. [Illustration: F-24903A USE OF FORAGE RESOURCE HELPS TO STABILIZE THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY] [Illustration: F-376869 DOLORES RANGER STATION] WILD AREAS OF THE FOREST The Wilson Mountain Wild Area extends west from Lizard Head and Blackface Mountains to Flat Top and Dolores Peaks and contains about 27,347 acres. Sunshine, Wilson, and Gladstone Mountains and Wilson Peak are included, and the area affords the utmost in scenery and mountain climbing. Nearly half of it is barren land above timberline. About 5,000 acres are wet meadows or alpine grasslands. The remainder is covered with timber, chiefly Engelmann spruce and alpine fir. Grazing of domestic stock, improvements necessary for fire protection, and development of water-storage projects may be permitted, but there will be no summer homes, no resorts or commercial enterprises, no scenic highways, and no commercial timber cutting. [Illustration: F-376868 LONE CONE PEAK]