Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Roswell)
Located where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the southern plains, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for some of the rarest creatures in New Mexico. Established in 1937 to provide habitat for thousands of migrating sandhill cranes and waterfowl, the Refuge is becoming popular for its diverse flora and fauna. Straddling the Pecos River, the Refuge consists of an assortment of water habitats surrounded by a harsh, dry environment.
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (Socorro)
Bosque del Apache, which means "woods of the Apache", was named for the people who often camped in the riverside forest. Today it is know as one of the most spectacular Refuges in North America. This 57, 191 acre refuge straddles the Rio Grande Valley in Socorro County, New Mexico. It ranges in elevation from 4, 500 to 6, 272 fee above sea level. It receives approximately 7 inches of precipitation each year.
Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge (Maxwell)
Located in the high central plains of northeastern New Mexico, Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1965 as a feeding and resting area for migratory birds. Over 350 acres of the Refuge are planted with wheat, corn, barley, and alfalfa to provide food for resident and migratory wildlife.
Galisteo Dam (Pena Blanca)
GaliTo get to Galisteo Dam, it is necessary to drive through lands belonging to Santo Domingo Pueblo Indian Reservation. Please observe and obey all Pueblo regulations. Do not trespass on lands closed to the public. Galisteo Dam, administered by the Cochiti Lake Project Office, is a dry reservoir, except for limited storage during runoffs.
Jemez Canyon Dam (Pena Blanca)
Jemez Canyon Dam, is located within the boundaries of the Santa Ana Pueblo Indian Reservation. Please observe and obey all Pueblo regulations. Do not trespass on lands closed to the public. Jemez Canyon Dam, administered by the Cochiti Lake Project Office, is a small reservoir with picnic and overlook facilities. There is no access to the water.
Platoro Reservoir (Albuquerque)
Platoro Dam and Reservoir are part of the San Luis Valley Project in the south-central portion of the State of Colorado. Platoro Dam is on the Conejos River about 1 miles above the town of Platoro, Colorado. The Dam stores floodwaters of the Conejos River, a tributary of the Rio Grande, for release when the normal flow falls below irrigation requirements. Recreation at Platoro Reservoir is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, Rio Grande National Forest.
Caballo Reservoir (Albuquerque)
Recreation at Caballo Dam and reservoir, Rio Grande Project, is managed by the New Mexico Division of Parks and Recreation under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The park headquarters can be reached at (505) 743-3942. Open year-round. Best fishing is late April through August. Entry fees charged. Good access roads. Nearest community is Truth or Consequences. The 11, 000-acre reservoir created in 1938 across the Rio Grande, is 15 miles long with more than 50 miles of shoreline.
Heron Reservoir (Albuquerque)
Heron Dam and reservoir are part of the San Juan Chama Project. The reservoir is on Willow Creek just above the point where Willow Creek enters the Chama River. Recreation at Heron Reservoir is managed by New Mexico State Parks under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The park headquarters can be reached at (505) 588-7470. The Park is open 24 hours. There is a visitor center containing interpretive exhibits. Fee area. No food service or lodging within park. Lodging available in Chama.
Nambe Falls Reservoir (Albuquerque)
Nambe Falls Dam and Reservoir are on the Rio Nambe 25 miles north of Santa Fe, NM Are featrues of the San Juan - Chama Project. Recreation at Nambe Falls is managed by the Nambe Pueblo under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The Pueblo can be reached at (505) 455-2036. Usually closed mid-November to mid-March. Fee area. Roads good to fair in recreation area. Goods and services at ranger station. No lodging. Available species include rainbow and cutthroat trout, and salmon.
Cibola National Forest (Albuquerque)
The Cibola National Forest is 1, 949, 637 acres in size. Elevation ranges from 5, 000-11, 301 feet. Our forest includes the Datil, Gallinas, Magdalena, Bear, Manzano, Sandia, San Mateo, Mt. Taylor, and Zuni Mountains. There are four wildernesses contained within our forest: the Sandia Mountain, Manzano Mountain, Withington, and Apache Kid. The Cibola National Grasslands are located in northeastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma, and northwestern Texas, and are 263, 954 acres in size.
Lincoln National Forest (Alamogordo)
Located in south-central New Mexico, lies the Lincoln National Forest, birthplace of Smokey Bear, the living symbol of forest fire prevention. The Forest covers over 1.1 million acres stretching north from Texas past the Capitan Mountains.
Orilla Verde Recreation Area (Taos)
Orilla Verde Recreation Area, nestled along the banks of the Rio Grande, offers visitors a wide variety of recreational opportunities. All facilities are located along the Rio Grande within the steep-walled Rio Grande Gorge. Because of the dramatic changes in elevation and the diversity of plant life, Orilla Verde draws many species of animals, including raptors (such as eagles and hawks), songbirds, waterfowl, beaver, cougar, ringtail, mule deer, and many more.
Three Rivers Petroglyph Site (Las Cruces)
The Three Rivers Petroglyphs are outstanding examples of prehistoric Jornada Mogollon rock art. The basaltic ridge rising above the Three Rivers Valley contains over 21, 000 petroglyphs, including masks, sunbursts, wildlife, handprints, and geometric designs. The number and concentration of petroglyphs make this one of the largest and most interesting rock art sites in the Southwest. A rugged 0.5-mile trail begins at the visitor shelter and links many of the most interesting petroglyphs.
Wild Rivers Recreation Area (Taos)
The Rio Grande Gorge is a rugged, steep-walled canyon that cuts into the volcanic plateaus of north-central New Mexico. The Wild Rivers Recreation Area provides splendid views into this 800-foot-deep gorge. Most visitor facilities are located along the rim, but several trails provide access to the river and to facilities located within the gorge.
Valley of Fires Recreation Area (Roswell)
The Valley of Fires Recreation Area is adjacent to the Malpais Lava Flow, a BLM Wilderness Study Area. The lava flow is between 1, 500 and 2, 000 years old, making it the youngest such flow in the continental United States. It extends from Little Black Peak south into the Tularosa Basin for 44 miles. The flow is between 4 and 6 miles wide and the lava is 160 feet deep at its thickest point. A surprising number and variety of plants and animals thrive in the rugged landscape of the flow.
Fort Stanton (Roswell)
Developed trails for hiking and horseback riding wind through open meadows and canyons full of great views of the surrounding Lincoln National Forest, Sacramento and Capitan mountains.
Quebranas Back Country Byway (Carlsbad)
24 mile-long dirt road east of the Rio Grande meanders through interesting and diverse geology and scenery.
Casamero Chacoan Outliers Recreation Management Area (Albuquerque)
Casamero Pueblo was occupied by the Chacoan Anasazi between A.D. 1000 and 1125. It is an excellent example of a Chacoan outlier (an outlying community connected to Chaco Canyon by prehistoric roads), displaying many of the same cultural and architectural traits found at Chaco Canyon. Casamero was a community building that served a number of nearby farmsteads. It was used for social and religious activities aimed at uniting individual families into a cohesive community.
Angel Peak Recreation Area (Farmington)
Prominent landmark rising from an ancient seabed is a contemporary badlands with picnicing and camping set in canyon rim country.
BLM Dunes OHV Recreation Area (Farmington)
Open OHV recreation area draws 4WD and OHV enthusiasts from all over the Four Corners region.
Ignacio Chavez Special Management Area (Albuquerque)
Almost 50, 000 acres of solitude at elevations up to 8400* Popular hunting area.
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (Socorro)
Projected hiking trail following Continental Divide from Mexico to Canada will be difficult to complete but existing sections offer spectacular backpacking experience.
Datil Well Recreation Area (Socorro)
1 of 15 wells along the old Magdalena Cattle Driveway trail between NM and Arizona, today*s site features camping and picnicing plus 2 short nature trails.
The Box Recreation Area (Socorro)
This box canyon provides popular rockclimbing opportunities for even highly-skilled technical climbers.
Haystack Mountain OHV Recreation Area (Roswell)
This OHV area on the flats of eastern NM is enlivened by a small mound that gives OHV drivers a little verticality to spice up their experience. Primitive camping is available throughout the area.
Mescalero Sands North Dunes OHV Area (Roswell)
610-acre North Dunes are OHV, hiking, picnicing paradise; Mather*s and South Dune areas are hard to reach and exclude any vehicular use to remain wild.
Organ Mountains Recreation Area (Roswell)
Rugged mountains above Las Cruces feature numerous trails, AB Cox Visitor Center, Dripping Springs and Aguirre Springs campgrounds and popular La Cueva picnic area.
Head Canyon OHV Recreation Area (Farmington)
Off-road vehicle users in the 4 Corners area love sites like this.
Negro Canyon Recreation Area (Farmington)
Hunting in season and very secluded hiking make this remote slickrock canyon worth the canoe or boat trip.
Santa Cruz Lake Recreation Area (Taos)
Scenic lake at base of Sangre de Cristo mountains offers boating, fishing, hiking and camping.
Lake Valley Back Country Byway (Taos)
Meandering drive on dirt roads takes you to ruins of 1880s mining town of Lake Valley where several buildings still stand.
El Camino Real-New Mexico (Albuquerque)
During colonial years, New Mexico was tied to the outside world by this one thoroughfare, El Camino Real, which descended the Rio Grande valley from Santa Fe on its way to Mexico City to the south.
Jemez Mountain Trail (Bernalillo)
Just north of Albuquerque is one of New Mexico`s most spectacular scenic drives. It is a journey through time. It takes you past amazing geologic formations, ancient Indian ruins, an Indian Pueblo, and the area`s logging, mining and ranching heritage.
Santa Fe Trail - New Mexico (Santa Fe)
The Santa Fe Trail was the first of America's great Trans-Mississippi routes.
Percha Diversion Dam (Albuquerque)
Percha Diversion Dam and Canal system, Rio Grande Project, are on the Rio Grande, 2 miles downstream from Caballo Dam. It diverts water into the Rincon Valley Main Canal. The dam was completed in 1918. Percha Diversion Dam is an integral feature of the Rio Grande Project, an early Reclamation irrigation project authorized in 1905. The Dam is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A small visitor center operated by New Mexico State Parks is open seasonally.
Rio Bonito Recreation Area
Glade Run Trail System (Farmington)
Over 27, 000 acres of sandy arroyos, slickrock and hills, contain 42 miles of marked trails for motorized and self-propelled biking, 4WD and off-road vehicles
Aztec Ruins National Monument (Aztec)
Aztec Ruins National Monument preserves structures and artifacts of Ancestral Pueblo people from the 1100's through 1200s. People associated with Chaco Canyon to the south built and used the structures, then people related to the Mesa Verde region to the north used the site in the 1200's. The monument was established in 1923, and designated a World Heritage Site in 1987. Acreage: 319.
Bandelier National Monument (Los Alamos)
Best known for mesas, sheer-walled canyons, and the ancestral Pueblo dwellings found among them, Bandelier also includes over 23, 000 acres of designated Wilderness. It was named for Adolph Bandelier, a 19th-century anthropologist. Proclaimed on February 11, 1916. Acreage: 32, 737, all federal. Wilderness area: 23, 267.
Cabezon Peak Recreation Area (Albuquerque)
Other volcanic cinder cones appear off to the west of rugged Cabezon Peak which has a trail for hiking/climbing from the nearby county road.
El Morro National Monument (Ramah)
Rising 200 feet above the valley floor, this massive sandstone bluff was a welcome landmark for weary travelers. A reliable waterhole hidden at its base made El Morro (or Inscription Rock) a popular campsite. Beginning in the late 1500s Spanish, and later, Americans passed by El Morro. While they rested in its shade and drank from the pool, many carved their signatures, dates, and messages.
Fort Union National Monument (Watrous)
Fort Union was established in 1851 by Lieutenant Colonel Edwin V. Sumner as a guardian and protector of the Santa Fe Trail. During it's forty-year history, three different forts were constructed close together. The third and final Fort Union was the largest in the American Southwest, and functioned as a military garrison, territorial arsenal, and military supply depot for the southwest.
Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (Socorro)
A vast landscape in the heart of New Mexico, Sevilleta National Wildllife Refuge supports four major ecological habitats, encompasses two mountain ranges, and contains stretches of the largest river in the state. The Refuge is unforgettable in its magnitude and austere beauty but is most significant in its function. Unrivaled among our nation's refuges, Sevilleta is managed to maintain the natural processes of flood, fire, and succession that sustain this diverse ecosystem.
San Andres National Wildlife Refuge (Las Cruces)
The San Andres National Wildlife Refuge is located in the southern San Andres Mountains of southcentral New Mexico. The mountain range, which lies within the northernmost extension of the Chihuahuan Desert, rises to an elevation of 8, 229 feet at San Andres peak. Refuge habitats vary from creosote and Chihuahuan desert grasslands in the bajadas to pinyon-juniper woodlands on the mountaintops. Numerous springs, seeps and seasonal streams provide lush riparian habitats throughout the Refuge.
Avalon Reservoir (Albuquerque)
Avalon Dam and Reservoir, Carlsbad Project, are located on the Pecos River 3 miles north of Carlsbad, New Mexico. The dam is a zoned earthfill structure constructed in 1907. Recreation at Avalon Reservoir is managed by the Carlsbad Irrigation District under ageement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The District can be reached at (505)885-3203. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, (505)827-7905, stocks reservoir and provides law enforcement. Park open 24 hours. Non-fee area.
Elephant Butte Reservoir (Albuquerque)
Elephant Butte Dam and Reservoir, features of the Rio Grande Project, are on the Rio Grande, 125 miles north of El Paso, Texas. Recreation at Elephant Butte Reservoir is managed by the New Mexico State Parks under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The park headquarters can be reached at 505-744-5421. Park open year-round. Elephant Butte Dam, constructed between 1911 and 1916, was a major engineering feat in its day.
El Vado Reservoir (Albuquerque)
El Vado Dam and Reservoir, features of the Middle Rio Grande Project, are located on the Rio Chama about 160 miles north of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Recreation at El Vado Reservoir is managed by the New Mexico Division of Parks and Recreation under agreeement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The park headquarters can be reached at (505) 588-7247. The Park is open 24 hours. Fee area. Boat ramp at north end of reservoir via State 95, limited to high water use. No concessionaires. No food service.
Lake Sumner (Fort Sumner,)
Sumner Dam and Lake Sumner, features of the Carlsbad Project, are on the Pecos River about 250 river miles north of Carlsbad and about 16 miles northwest of Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The Lake is 4, 500 water surface acres with 60 miles of shoreline. Recreation is managed for Reclamation by the New Mexico State Parks, (505) 355-2541.No food service or lodging within park. Lodging is available in Fort Sumner or in Santa Rosa, 42 miles north. No concessions.
Leasburg Diversion Dam (Albuquerque)
Leasburg Diversion Dam, Rio Grande Project, is on the Rio Grande 62 miles north of El Paso at the head of Mesilla Valley. Recreation at Leasburg is managed by the New Mexico State Parks under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The park headquarters can be reached at (505) 524-4068. The park is open year-round. Leasburg Diversion Dam is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Elephant Butte Irrigation District.
Cochiti Lake (Pena Blanca)
Cochiti Lake is located within the boundaries of the Pueblo de Cochiti Indian Reservation. Please observe and obey all Pueblo regulations. Do not trespass on lands closed to the public.Cochiti Lake is on the Rio Grande, about half way between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Cochiti Dam is one of the ten largest earthfill dams in the US. It is one of the four units for flood and sediment control on the Rio Grande, operating in conjunction with Galisteo, Jemez Canyon, and Abiquiu Dams.
Conchas Lake (Conchas Dam)
Ancient petroglyphs, marine fossils and tales of Spanish Conquistadors mark the past of Conchas Lake. Historical significance is the construction of Conchas Dam from 1935 - 1939 by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) during Franklin Roosevelt*s New Deal era. Conchas Dam became the 17th dam project built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the first district in New Mexico was established here.
Santa Rosa Dam And Lake (Santa Rosa)
Impounds the Pecos River approximately 121 mi E of Albuquerque. Follow direction signs through city of Santa Rosa to the lake. The visitor center contains an interesting display on project area.Ten thousand years ago, PaleoIndians hunted mammoth and bison throughout the area of what is now known as Santa Rosa. Today, Santa Rosa Dam and Lake offers 25 miles of shoreline with abundant recreational activities for all visitors.
Two Rivers Dam (Dry Reservoir) (Santa Rosa)
Visitors can see antelope during fall season. The reservoir is dry except for limited storage during spring runoffs.Two Rivers Dam was constructed to protect the town of Roswell, New Mexico from disastrous floods. The project was named Two Rivers because it consists of two separate earthen dams that form one reservoir. One dam is on the Rio Hondo River and the other on the Rocky Arroyo.
Carson National Forest (Taos)
Some of the finest mountain scenery in the Southwest is found in the 1.5 million acres covered by the Carson National Forest. Elevations rise from 6, 000 feet to 13, 161 feet at Wheeler Peak, the highest in New Mexico. Big game animals roam the Carson. They include mule deer, elk, antelope, black bear, mountain lion, and bighorn sheep. There are also many species of smaller animals and songbirds. Almost every animal calling Northern New Mexico home can be found at Ghost Ranch Living Museum.
Gila National Forest (Silver City)
Located above the desert of southwest New Mexico, lies the Gila National Forest comprised of 3.3 million acres of forest and rangeland. This is a rugged realm of cactus and grass, juniper and pine, spruce and aspen, and few people. One portion of the Gila is less than 50 miles from the Mexican border, but the main unit, just north of Silver City, forms an irregular outline about 65 by 100 miles in area.
Santa Fe National Forest (Santa Fe)
Some of the finest mountain scenery in the Southwest is found in the 1, 567, 000 acres covered by the Santa Fe National Forest. Elevations rise from 5, 300 to 13, 101 feet at the summit of Truchas Peak, located within the Pecos Wilderness. The diverse topographic and climatic conditions create a wide variety of landforms and plant and animal habitats.
Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge (Las Vegas)
With the Rocky Mountains to the west, the Great Plains to the east, and the Chihuahuan Desert to the south, Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge encompasses a diversity of habitats. Located along the Central Flyway, the Refuge provides an important resting, feeding, and wintering area for migrating geese, ducks, and cranes. Las Vegas NWR rests on a plateau in the foothills with the Rocy Mountains just beyond. River canyon walls drop below the refuge on three sides.
Guadalupe Back Country Byway (Carlsbad)
For 30 miles, the Byway travels the transition from the cholla cactus of the Chihuahuan Desert to the pines of the Guadalupe Escarpment. Travelers can see mule deer, pronghorn antelope, gray fox, scaled quail, mourning dove, a variety of songbirds, and small mammals. Travelers can also learn about the multiple uses of public lands. Geologically, the Byway is located along the Capitan Reef of the Permian Basin. The plains give way to steep limestone outcrops cut by dry arroyos.
Glade Run Recreation Management Area (Farmington)
The approximately 27, 400 acres of public land within the Glade Run Trail System encompass a wide variety of topography, from rolling hills to sandy arroyo bottoms to sandstone slickrock. Vegetation is sparse, primarily consisting of common grasses, rabbitbrush, sagebrush, and juniper and pi*on. The area is widely used by a diverse range of recreationists. There are 42 miles of marked trails for motorized trailbike riders and mountain bikers.
San Lorenzo Canyon Recreation Area (Socorro)
Scenic east-west canyon with ample oudoor opportunities for hiking and primitive camping.
Simon Canyon Recreation Area (Farmington)
3811 acres of canyon backcountry offer terrific fishing, dispersed camping, hiking to partially restored Simon Ruin and much wildlife/bird watching.
Billy the Kid Scenic Byway (Ruidoso)
Follow the ghosts of famous lawmen, outlaws and warriors through the rugged beauty of the million-acre Lincoln National Forest.
Pecos National Historical Park (Pecos)
Pecos preserves 12, 000 years of history including the ancient pueblo of Pecos, two Spanish Colonial Missions, Santa Fe Trail sites, 20th century ranch history of Forked Lightning Ranch, and the site of the Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass. The ruins trail, picnic area, and visitor center are the only areas currently open to visitors at this time.
Petroglyph National Monument (Albuquerque)
As you walk among the petroglyphs, you are not alone. This world is alive with the sights and sounds of the high desert - a hawk spirals down from the mesa top, a roadrunner scurries into fragrant sage, a desert millipede traces waves in the sand. There is another presence beyond what we can see or hear. People who have lived along the Rio Grande for many centuries come alive again through images they carved on the shiny black rocks.
Santa Fe National Historic Trail (Santa Fe)
Between 1821 and 1880, the Santa Fe Trail was primarily a commercial highway connecting Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico. From 1821 until 1846, it was an international commercial highway used by Mexican and American traders. In 1846, the Mexican-American War began. The Army of the West followed the Santa Fe Trail to invade New Mexico. When the Treaty of Guadalupe ended the war in 1848, the Santa Fe Trail became a national road connecting the United States to the new southwest territories.
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument (Mountainair)
Once, thriving American Indian trade communities of Tiwa and Tompiro speaking Puebloans inhabited this remote frontier area of central New Mexico. Early in the 17th-century Spanish Franciscans found the area ripe for their missionary efforts. However, by the late 1670s the entire Salinas District, as the Spanish had named it, was depopulated of both Indian and Spaniard.
Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail (Santa Fe)
In 1838, the United States government forcibly removed more than 16, 000 Cherokee Indian people from their homelands in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia, and sent them to Indian Territory (today known as Oklahoma). The impact to the Cherokee was devastating. Hundreds of Cherokee died during their trip west, and thousands more perished from the consequences of relocation.
White Sands National Monument (Holloman AFB)
At the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert lies a mountain ringed valley called the Tularosa Basin. Rising from the heart of this basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Here, great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert and have created the world's largest gypsum dune field. The brilliant white dunes are ever changing: growing, cresting, then slumping, but always advancing.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument (Albuquerque)
In north-central New Mexico, between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, lies the unique geological area known as Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks. Kasha-Katuwe or *white cliffs* in Keresan*the traditional language for the Pueblo de Cochiti*is an area that features large, tent-shaped rocks that hug the steep cliffs of Peralta Canyon. These rocks were created by the powerful forces of vulcanism and erosion, which have built up and then torn down this landscape.
El Malpais National Conservation Area (Albuquerque)
El Malpais National Conservation Area was established by congress to protect the outstanding archaeological, geological, and wilderness resources surrounding El Malpais lava flows.This NCA has 262, 000 acres containing vast lava fields, La Ventana Natural Arch, Cebolla and West Malpais Wildernesses, plus Chain-of-Craters Back Country Byway all of which provide varied recreational possibilities in this "bad country" full of natural wonders.
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail (Santa Fe)
Added to the National Trails System in October 2000, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (Royal Road of the Interior) National Historic Trail recognizes the primary route between the colonial Spanish capital of Mexico City and the Spanish provincial capitals at San Juan de Los Caballeros (1598-1600); San Gabriel (1600-1609); and Santa Fe (1610-1821). The national historic trail extends 404 miles from El Paso, Texas, to San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park (Carlsbad)
Established to preserve Carlsbad Cavern and numerous other caves within a Permian-age fossil reef, the park contains more than 100 known caves, including Lechuguilla Cave?the nation's deepest limestone cave at 1, 567 feet (478m) and third longest. Carlsbad Cavern, with one of the world's largest underground chambers and countless formations, is highly accessible, with a variety of tours offered year-round.
Capulin Volcano National Monument (Capulin)
Mammoths, giant bison, and short-faced bears were witness to the first tremblings of the earth and firework-like explosions of molten rock thousands of feet into the air. Approximately 60, 000 years ago, the rain of cooling cinders and four lava flows formed Capulin Volcano, a nearly perfectly-shaped cinder cone, rising more than 1000 feet above the surrounding landscape. Although long extinct, Capulin Volcano is dramatic evidence of the volcanic processes that shaped northeastern New Mexico.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park (Nageezi)
Chaco Culture National Historical Park preserves one of America's most significant and fascinating cultural and historic areas. Chaco Canyon was a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture between AD 850 and 1250. It was a hub of ceremony, trade, and administration for the prehistoric Four Corners area - unlike anything before or since. Chaco is remarkable for its monumental public and ceremonial buildings, and its distinctive architecture.
El Malpais National Monument (Grants)
El Malpais National Monument and Conservation Area was established in 1987 and is a relative newcomer to the National Park System. This monument preserves 114, 277 acres of which 109, 260 acres are federal and 5, 017 acres are private. El Malpais means "the badlands" but contrary to its name this unique area holds many surprises, many of which researchers are now unraveling. Volcanic features such as lava flows, cinder cones, pressure ridges and complex lava tube systems dominate the landscape.
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (Silver City)
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument offers a glimpse of the homes and lives of the people of the Mogollon culture who lived in the Gila Wilderness from the 1280s through the early 1300s. The surroundings probably look today very much like they did when the cliff dwellings were inhabited. It is surrounded by the Gila National Forest and lies at the edge of the Gila Wilderness, the nation's first designated wilderness area.
Brantley Reservoir (Albuquerque)
Recreation at Brantley Dam, Reservoir, Carlsbad Project, is managed by New Mexico State Parks under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The park headquarters can be reached at 505-457-2384. Park open 24 hours. Fee area. Visitor center 4.5 miles from park entrance at U.S. 285. Good access roads. No concessionaires. No food service. No lodging within park. Nearest communities from park entrance, Carlsbad 12 miles south and Artesia 24 miles north.
Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands (Clayton)
Within the short grass prairie of the southern Great Plains lie the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands. These grasslands encompass approximately 230, 000 acres in six counties within New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. These administrative units are not solid blocks of Government owned land; rather they consist of numerous small Government parcels, intermingled with privately owned tracts.Prior to settlement, this area was home to many American Indian tribes.
Dripping Springs Natural Area (Las Cruces)
Overlooking Las Cruces from the east are the Organ Mountains, a haven for hikers and adventure seekers alike. The Organs, which rise to over 9, 000 feet in elevation, are so named because of the steep, needle-like spires that resemble the pipes of an organ. This picturesque area of rocky peaks, narrow canyons and open woodlands shelters the Dripping Springs Natural Area, noted for its *weeping walls.
Gila Lower Box Canyon (Las Cruces)
The Gila Lower Box Canyon is a true oasis in the desert, 20 miles north of Lordsburg, New Mexico. Since livestock has been prohibited in the river canyon since 1990, the canyon has grown into a lush thicket of cottonwood, willows, and other riparian vegetation. The area provides some of the best birding in New Mexico, and is habitat to many rare and unusual birds, including common black hawks, zone-tailed hawks, Bell's vireos, yellow-billed cuckoos, and hundreds of other bird species.
Granite Gap (Las Cruces)
From surrounding flat country, spectacular granite and limestone ridges and rock formations rise up to encircle a secluded bowl of land called the Granite Gap near the Arizona border. The area is an excellent example of Chihuahuan desert vegetation. Look for flowering ocotillo, cactus, agave and wildflowers in season. The Granite Gap area is Desert scrub habitat and is best for bird-watching from mid-fall to mid-spring.
Kilbourne Hole Volcanic Crater (Las Cruces)
A remnant of an ancient volcanic explosion, Kilbourne Hole was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1975. This crater can be found in a desert basin between the Potrillo Mountains and the Rio Grande in southern Dona Ana County. Kilbourne Hole is roughly elliptical in shape, and is known as a Maar * a pit or depression caused by a volcanic explosion with little material emitted except volcanic gas. The crater is between 24, 000 and 100, 000 years old, and measures 1.
Lake Valley Backcountry Byway (Las Cruces)
A meandering 48-mile drive on paved roads takes visitors through ranching and mining country and past the ruins of the 1880s mining town of Lake Valley. The Lake Valley Backcountry Byway is nestled between the Mimbres and Caballo Mountains and the Cooke*s Range in southwestern New Mexico and offers spectacular scenic views. Rich in history and scenery, the Byway offers an outstanding trip for travelers with an hour to spare.
Lake Valley Historic Townsite (Las Cruces)
The mining town of Lake Valley was founded in 1878 after silver was discovered. Almost overnight, the small frontier town blossomed into a major settlement with a population of 4, 000 people. Today, silver mining has played out and all that remains is a ghost town. BLM has restored the schoolhouse and chapel. The restored schoolhouse provides a glimpse of what schooling in a rural area was like in the early 20th century.
Las Palomas Marsh (Las Cruces)
Las Palomas Marsh is a natural area that is protected and managed for aquatic and riparian habitat. Depending on water levels, the area offers good shore and marsh birding; desert scrub bird species are numerous in the winter. You can also walk to the Rio Grande/Caballo Reservoir (depending on water levels) from the marsh area. Adjacent lands include excellent opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
Robledo Mountains OHV Trail System (Las Cruces)
The Robledo Mountains Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System is a network of trails, including both extreme OHV and mountain bike trails, in the southern Robledo Mountains. The trails are dominated by enormous rocks, making the terrain extraordinarily challenging for riders. The extreme OHV trails require specialized vehicles, with locking differentials, winches, and expert drivers. Vehicle damage is not uncommon on these very difficult OHV trails.
Sierra Vista Trail (Las Cruces)
The Sierra Vista Trail is a 25-mile nonmotorized recreation trail along the western flank of the Organ Mountains and the eastern side of the Franklin Mountains. The trail provides spectacular views of the mountains, which jut majestically above the desert floor. It is also possible to see wildlife, including mule deer and coyotes, along the trail. The trail connects to the Franklin Mountain State Park Trail system in Texas, and it is used primarily by mountain bikers.
Soledad Canyon Day Use Area (Las Cruces)
The Soledad Canyon Day Use Area is at the juncture of two canyons -- Bar Canyon and Soledad Canyon -- and is in the western foothills of the Organ mountains. The area includes the three-mile loop Bar Canyon Trail, which offers an easy and scenic hike very close to Las Cruces. The Bar Canyon Trail includes scenic vistas of the central Organ Mountains and the southern Mesilla Valley.
Haystack Mountain OHV Area (Roswell)
Perched on the rugged breaks overlooking the Pecos River, Haystack Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area offers 1, 920 acres of trails to ride. From novices to experts, on bare rock and sandy washes, OHV enthusiasts can find terrain to fit their skill level. The terrain is extremely rugged, including such varied features as deep gullies with difficult hill climbs in and out of a scenic sandstone escarpment.
Mescalero Sands North Dune OHV Area (Roswell)
Over 610 acres of towering 90+ foot sand dunes await your enjoyment in the Mescalero Sands North Dune Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area. The dune field stretches over most of the area and lends itself well to all terrain cycles, sand rails and dune buggies. The dunes are made up of quartz particles and are constantly changing due to the prevailing southwest wind. When the dunes are active they move about a foot per year. Among the biggest surprises in the area are the mature cottonwood trees.
Gordy's Hill OHV Area (Socorro)
The 6, 000-acre Gordy's Hill Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area is a scenic dirtbike and ATV destination overlooking the Rio Grande Valley and Bosque with a tremendous variety of riding opportunities. It is a primitive location and offers excellent challenges for all experience levels. Gordy's Hill includes deeply dissected canyons, high sandstone and limestone bluffs, terraces, and escarpments. On the higher ridges, there are scenic views of the Rio Grande Valley back to the west.
Quebradas Backcountry Byway (Socorro)
The Quebradas Backcountry Byway is an unpaved county road traversing about 24 miles of rugged, colorful landscapes east of Socorro. Two National Wildlife Refuges are only a few miles from this Byway -- Sevilleta to the north and Bosque del Apache to the south. Much of the Byway includes rolling bench lands that rise above the Rio Grande floodplain to the west and rugged north-south running ridges of alternating bands or red and yellow sandstone, red and purple shale, and white to gray limestone.
Socorro Nature Area (Socorro)
The Socorro Nature Area is a 120-acre environmental education area in the Rio Grande Bosque. The area includes a *-mile self-guiding nature walk with interpretive signs, a pond, and amphitheatre. It also has picnic tables, a group shelter, and a restroom.
Abiquiu Reservoir (Abiquiu)
This 5, 200 surface acre reservoir offers some of the finest fishing in northern New Mexico. Reptile fossils 200 million years old have been found in the area. The area includes a fine panoramic view of the Cerro Pedernal from the dam. It is surrounded by red sandstone formations on Hwy 84 and adjacent to historical Pedernal Mountain to the south on Hwy 96.
Pecos River Corridor Recreation Area (Carlsbad)
The Pecos River Corridor Recreation Area includes 6, 000 acres of land with access to the Pecos River and areas surrounding the Red Bluff Reservoir. This area provides opportunity for water-based recreation and semi-primitive motorized recreation. A public access boat ramp is on the New Mexico side of Red Bluff Reservoir.
Chain of Craters Backcountry Byway (Grants)
The Chain of Craters Byway is located in Cibola County, near Grants, NM. From Interstate I-40, access may be gained from NM 117 or NM 53.To begin the byway from the south entrance, turn south onto NM 117 from I-40, approximately 5 miles east of Grants. County Road 42 begins approximately 35 miles from the NM 117 turn-off. To begin the byway from the north end, travel I-40 past Grants and take the San Rafael exit south. Travel on NM 53 approximately 25 miles.
Ojito Wilderness Study Area (Albuquerque)
Historically, several human cultures have tried to carve a living from Ojito*s rugged terrain, rocky soils and scarce water supply. Although several types of ruins exist within the area, including those of the Anasazi, Navajo, and Hispanic cultures, very few historical records exist concerning their lives here. Fossil remains of rare dinosaurs, plants and trees have been discovered in the Ojito Wilderness Study Area (WSA).
Perea Nature Trail (Albuquerque)
A mountain peak dominates the one-mile Perea Nature Trail -- located just outside the village of San Ysidro in northwest New Mexico. The mountain highlights the Jemez Mountain Range, which is the southern start of the Rocky Mountains that extend northward to Alaska. The Perea Nature Trail offers a short, refreshing hike. If you are looking for solitude, try sitting on the park bench under the giant cottonwood along the trail.
San Ysidro Trials Area (Albuquerque)
The San Ysidro Trials Area is a unique slot canyon area that offers recreation for anyone with an appreciation of natural wonders. The entire recreation area lies at the southern tip of the Jemez Mountain range and is open for hiking, primitive camping, equestrian activities, and mechanical vehicles such as mountain bikes.
West Malpais Wilderness (Albuquerque)
BLM*s West Malpais Wilderness, part of the El Malpais National Conservation Area, totals about 40, 000 acres. It encompasses grassland, pinon-juniper woodland, ponderosa pine parkland, and basalt lava fields. A myriad of trees, shrubs, mammals, reptiles, grasses, fungi and other creatures make this area their home.These life forms interact with and influence one another, manifesting the gossamer web of life in this harsh, dry environment.
Fort Stanton Recreation Area (Roswell)
Fort Stanton Recreation Area is comprised of 24, 000 acres of BLM lands within the old Fort Stanton Military Reservation. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Blanca Mountains in southern New Mexico, Fort Stanton uniquely blends mountain streams, rolling hills, mesas, and open bottomlands. Fort Stanton was carved out of Mescalero Apache homelands during the 1850*s. In 1855, the U.S. Cavalry established Fort Stanton as a Cavalry fort.
Black River Recreation Area (Carlsbad)
The 1, 200-acre Black River Recreation Area is managed to provide low-impact recreation and environmental education opportunities while maintaining a healthy river system and riparian habitat. This river corridor acts as a transition zone between the limestone foothills of the Guadalupe Escarpment and the southern gypsum soils to the east. Several spring-fed pools within the area comprise the headwaters of the Black River.
Dunes Vehicle Recreation Area (Farmington)
Over 800 acres of fun is waiting for off-road enthusiasts at the Dunes Vehicle Recreation Area south of Farmington. The off-highway vehicle area contains a wide variety of topography including large sand dunes, steep to gentle hillsides, and sandy arroyo bottoms. Innumerable roads and trails exist in the Dunes, created by nearly 40 years of off-road vehicle use.
Simon Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern (Farmington)
Simon Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) is about 3, 900 acres in size and is managed for semi-primitive forms of recreation including fishing, hiking, and backpacking. Development at the mouth of the canyon is minimal (with a parking lot, picnic table, and toilet) and provides the visitor an alternative to the more highly developed state park sites located nearby.The sandstone canyon is characterized by moderately steep, to very steep, rough and broken terrain.