The national forest offers hiking, biking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and other recreational opportunities.

Camp Hale, a World War II winter training site now on the National Register of Historic Places, is situated toward the south end of the district.

It includes the forest areas surrounding the towns of Vail, Minturn, Red Cliff and Avon.

The upper Eagle River provides a variety of scenic, outdoor recreation opportunities along its 20+ mile stretch from Tennessee Pass to Dowd Junction.

With the arrival of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad in 1887, Minturn quickly developed into a booming crossroads for transportation and industry.

By the turn of the century, a growing population of mining and railroad workers and their families raised the demand for business and services in town.

Minturn is served by Eagle County Regional Airport near Gypsum, 30 miles (48 km) to the west.