It was established on July 1, 1908, by President Theodore Roosevelt and named for the Arapaho tribe of Native Americans which previously inhabited the Colorado Eastern Plains.

The Fish and Wildlife Service expects that when refuge lands are fully acquired and developed, waterfowl production should increase significantly.

A number of diving ducks, including the lesser scaup and redhead, nest on the larger ponds and adjacent wet meadows.

If they are present, Wilson's phalarope, American avocet, willet, sandpipers, Greater yellowlegs, and dowitchers will be easy to observe.

Golden eagles, several species of hawks, and an occasional prairie falcon circle the skies above in search of food.

Moose have recently been reintroduced into North Park and may occasionally be observed in the willow thickets along the Illinois River bottoms.

The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests were affected by five major wildfires (Cameron Peak, East Troublesome, Williams Fork, Lefthand Canyon and CalWood) in 2020, burning over 25% of their total lands.

The Arapaho National Forest plays a significant role in Laurell K. Hamilton's Affliction (part of the Anita Blake book series).