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15160 State Road 75 Mail to: P.O. Box 68
Penasco, NM 87553 Phone: (575) 587-2255 Hours:Office hours - closed on Federal holidays
The Camino Real Ranger District is the area closest to Taos and serves 32 unincorporated communities and 2 Native American Pueblos that depend on the district for wood and other forest products. The smaller communities such as Ojo Sarco, Truchas, Vadito, and Trampas rely heavily on timber to use for building materials or to burn in woodstoves.
The Camino Real Ranger District is managed for many multi-use purposes; hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, snowmobiling, camping and personal firewood cutting are among the activities. The District manages many acres of the Carson National Forest. The district has more than 252 miles of trail, offering diverse terrain and dramatic landscapes for the skilled hiker. Some of the best and easiest hiking trails are in this district. The Devisadero Loop trail is a 6-mile loop that is just outside of the town of Taos. This trail offers a moderate 1,100-foot elevation gain. There are great views of the town of Taos, Wheeler Peak, and Taos Pueblo lands. The trek takes hikers through various habitats along the trail from pinon and juniper on the south to pine and spruce on the north side of the loop.
Wheeler's Peak. USDA Forest Service Photo
The district is also home to one of the nation's premier mountain biking opportunities. The South Boundary Trail offers 22 miles of sweet downhill single and double track, cruising through deep and dark evergreen forest, aspen glades, and meadows. The terrain provides great views and some technical challenges at the end to give you a dose of adrenaline to finish the ride. The occasional break in greenery reveals gorgeous panoramas of Taos Canyon and Wheeler Peak Wilderness Area.
Sipapu Ski Area is one of New Mexico's oldest ski areas, opening in 1952. Located off of U.S. 518, the area is family friendly, offering a wide variety of terrain for both the experienced and inexperienced skier or snowboarder.
Mail to: P.O. Box 469
Canjilon, NM 87515 Phone: (575) 684-2489 Fax: (575) 684-2486 Hours:Office hours - closed on Federal holidays
The Canjilon Ranger District is located in the beautiful mountains of Northern New Mexico. The elevation ranges from a low of 6,500 feet up to almost 11,000 feet above sea level. Climate and vegetation types vary from high desert to alpine zones. The ranger district contains several hiking trails, including the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. There are three campgrounds located on the ranger district. The ranger district office is located in the small mountain village of Canjilon which contains a population of approximately 325 residents.
The late artist Georgia O'Keefe called it "the best place in the world." Sandstone cliffs rise from the desert floor in layers of orange, pink, grey, and yellow; limited only by the expansive blue sky that pushes down on the northern New Mexico landscape. This is Georgia O'Keeffe Country - remote, solitary, and breathtaking. Many of her famous vistas capture Carson National Forest landscapes located on the Canjilon Ranger District, beginning about 65 miles northwest of Santa Fe.
These high-desert landscapes are also rich in fossils including the New Mexico state fossil, the Coelophysis. No definite fossils of Coelophysis have been discovered outside of New Mexico. The Coelophysis was a small and primitive meat-eating dinosaur that lived during the latter part of the Triassic Period, about 205 to 210 million years ago.
Also located on the district, the Echo Amphitheater is a natural stone amphitheater just off Highway 84, about 15 miles north of the Village of Abiquiu.
The sandstone cliffs and their colors are truly impressive, formed over thousands and thousands of years. The amphitheater is a short and easy walk from the parking lot all along wonderfully fragrant sage bushes. At the amphitheater have fun singing, yelling, and screaming and listen to the cliffs singing, yelling, and screaming back at you.
Canjilon Lakes. USDA Forest Service Photo
Three lakes make up Trout Lakes on the district and provide excellent fishing opportunities amid a setting of quiet green forests. Summer's beauty turns to gold as autumn touches the aspen and rewards campers lingering in the area.
Canjilon Lakes is on the district, where views of Canjilon Mountain, as well as the surrounding national forest are spectacular and are a photographer’s dream. The campground has 52 campsites on the shores of 6 small ponds at 9,900 foot elevation, with 6 picnicking spots above at Upper Canjilon Lakes.
State Road 554 Building 1221 Mail to: P.O. Box 56
El Rito, NM 87530 Phone: (575) 581-4554 Fax: (575) 581-4556 Hours:Office hours - closed on Federal holidays Permit Sale Hours:Office hours
Recreational activities include hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and rock climbing. The Rio Chama and the Rio Vallecitos are known for excellent trout fishing. At the headwaters of El Rita, a fish barrier has been installed to protect the established population of native Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout. Dispersed camping opportunities are numerous. The El Rita dispersed camping corridor offers 4 miles of beautiful campsites along El Rita; this area is traditionally utilized by local families for large family reunions.
The Potrero cliffs along Forest Road 44 draw a lot of rock climbers from the area. Many rock climbing routes are available along with a large dispersed campground. A short half-mile hike up from this campground brings you to Potrero waterfall.
The El Rita Ranger District is home to one of two functioning Federal Sustained Yield Units in the entire United States. The Vallecitos Federal Sustained Yield Unit (VFSYU) was established in 1948 and is approximately 73,400 acres in size. The VFSYU was established through the authority of the Sustained Yield Forest Management Act of 1944.
The unit was established to provide employment opportunities and provide saw timber and other forest products.
The district also administers the Jarita Mesa Wild Horse Territory. The wild horse territory dates back to when the conquistadores came from Spain and the blood line of the horses dates back to the late 1700s.
Forest products such as green fuel wood, dead/down fuel wood, juniper posts, latillas, and vigas are provided through personal-use permits. The general public relies heavily on fuel wood for heating their homes during the winter months.
184 State Hwy 38 Mail to: P.O. Box 110
Questa, NM 87556 Phone: (575) 586-0520 Fax: (575) 586-2010 Hours: Call before visiting. Office hours - closed on Federal holidays
Products, including fuelwood permits, are not being sold at this time.
The Questa Ranger District is managed for many multi-use purposes; hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, snowmobiling, camping and personal firewood cutting are among the activities. It is nearly 271,555 acres and is located just south of the Colorado border in northern New Mexico. The district includes the communities of Taos Ski Valley, Questa, and Red River.
The district is perhaps best known for skiing opportunities and the Valle Vidal, a special management area considered by many as a crown jewel of northern New Mexico.
The Valle Vidal is a sprawling, 100,000-acre swath of lush meadows, dense forests, craggy peaks and clear streams. After July 1, it's open season on the indigenous Rio Grande Cutthroat trout in the Rio Costilla and the other creeks that run through the area. The first few weeks after the opening of the highly regarded unit attract a hefty amount of visitors looking to wet a line in the legendary Rio Costilla.
Three of the Carson's four ski areas are located on the Questa District. Taos Ski Valley is a premiere destination resort. The base is at 9,207 feet with the highest peak being Kachina Peak at 12,481 feet. Red River Ski Area is located about 35 miles northeast of Taos and offers 57 trails to ski on. The Enchanted Forest is a crosscountry ski area on the district, which offers stunning mountain vistas along meandering forest trails for both skiing and snowshoeing. During the summer, all ski areas offer a wide range of activities from mountain biking to disc golf and downhill slides.
Valle Vidal. USDA Forest Service Photo
Donated to the Carson National Forest in 1982, the Valle Vidal is well known for its wildlife, as well as its outstanding scenic and recreational opportunities. The Valle Vidal is a veritable Rocky Mountain paradise, with abundant populations of regional wildlife, including mule deer, black bear, mountain lion, bald eagles, and native Rio Grande cutthroat trout. In addition, the vast alpine meadows of the Valle Vidal provide critical habitat for one of the largest herds of elk in New Mexico. The Valle Vidal is a special place to New Mexicans and people from around the world, who come to marvel at its alpine majesty, enjoy outdoor recreation and sporting opportunities, and to view the Valle's prized elk herd.
Some of the area's most dramatic hikes are in this area, with scenes that are reminiscent of landscapes from the "Sound of Music."
Inclement winter weather can close Highway 64 between Tres Piedras, NM, and Tierra Amarilla, NM
Check the New Mexico Department of Transportation's road conditions map for updates.
District Office Information
22280 Hwy 64 Mail to: P.O. Box 38
Tres Piedras, NM 87577 Phone: (575) 758-8678 Fax: (575) 751-323 Hours: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
The Tres Piedras Ranger District is managed for many multi-use purposes; hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, snowmobiling, camping and personal firewood cutting are among the activities.
The district is named for the large outcrop of rocks near the district office. It is the largest district on the Carson National Forest, consisting of 388,000 acres.
One of the district's most distinctive features is San Antonio Mountain, rising 10,908 feet above surrounding sagebrush flats. It is the largest free standing mountain peak in the country. The mountain's rounded volcanic dome, nearly 4 miles across at the base, is a landmark that's easily spotted from many locations in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.
The district is also home to one of the largest elk herds in New Mexico, with a large resident herd of about 2,000 elk wintering yearly in the San Antonio Mountain region.
Hopewell Lake, about 60 miles west of Tres Piedras, is a recreational hotspot, featuring fishing and developed campgrounds.
The area is steeped in history of the wild west. In the early 1880s prospectors fanned out though much of the northern and northwestern portions of New Mexico and, in some instances, made significant strikes. One of these was an extensive placer gold strike in the Tusas Mountains near modern-day Hopewell Lake. In the late 1800s, the introduction of the Denver and Rio Grande Western narrow gauge railroad, known as the Chili Line brought more visitors to the area. A small portion of the railroad is still being used and enjoyed by visitors today, and is known as the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad.
At its peak, the district provided grazing for nearly 2 million sheep more than 100 years ago. Along with grazing products, the train carried the massive products of the lumber industry. The railroad helped to facilitate the removal of several million board feet of pine taken from the mountains for rail expansion. U.S. Highway 285 closely follows the rail bed from Taos Junction to Antonito, and only the town of Tres Piedras remains.
Cruces Basin. USDA Forest Service Photo
Aldo Leopold, known as the father of conservation, was the second Forest Supervisor for the Carson National Forest in 1912 and relocated the Supervisor's Office from Antonito, Colorado to Tres Piedras. Called Mi Casita, the house that he built for his new bride, Estella, was recently renovated and is behind the post office off of US 285.
