Apache–Sitgreaves National Forests spans east-central Arizona and western New Mexico as a single U.S. Forest Service unit covering 2.76 million acres along the Mogollon Rim and White Mountains. Formerly the separate Apache and Sitgreaves national forests, it is defined by high-elevation mountain country, abundant water, and rich wildlife, with more than 680 miles of rivers and streams and over 400 recorded species. Four protected backcountry areas lie within it, including the Blue Range Primitive Area, protected since 1933. Hannagan Meadow became a notable historic destination after road access improved and Hannagan Meadow Lodge opened there in 1926, helping establish the forest as a major recreation and conservation landscape.