Cibola National Forest

Elevations within the 1,625,542-acre Cibola National Forest vary from 5,000' to 11,301'. The forest includes the Datil, Gallinas, Magdalena, Bear, Manzano, Sandia, San Mateo, and Zuni Mountains.

Sandia Mountains
The Sandias, just east of Albuquerque, are the most popular mountains within the Cibola National Forest, attracting more than 1.5 million visitors each year.

During the warm summer months, the Sandias offer the visitor refreshing cool temperatures, relief from the warmer climate that surrounds the base of the mountain. Hiking the trails, enjoying a picnic lunch, photographing bighorn sheep, or going on a walk guided by one of the Forest Service naturalists are a few activities available. Many enjoy either driving or riding the tram to the top of the mountain on a summer evening to view a spectacular sunset and watch the twinkling of the city lights below. Winter changes the mountain's character completely. From November through March the higher elevations are covered with a blanket of snow. Cross-country skiing, snowshoe hikes, downhill skiing, and inner-tubing are all popular activities during this time of the year. Some visit the mountaintop simply to photograph the unusual and interesting shapes of trees covered by snow and ice.

The Sandias are unusual in that a person traveling from Albuquerque to Sandia Crest goes from semi-desert country to an alpine type of vegetation in less than an hour—an altitude change from 4,900 feet to 10,600 feet. In this short time, the visitor sees the changes in vegetation that are encountered during a drive from Albuquerque to Canada.

Gallinas Mountains
The Gallinas Mountains are a small isolated range west of Corona, New Mexico. The elevation at Gallinas Peak, the highest point, is 8,637 feet. For people traveling from the east, it is the first major mountain range they encounter along U.S. Highway 60 and 54.

The Gallinas Mountains support a small elk herd of approximately 30 animals. Mule deer, turkey and black bear are also present in addition to rabbits, bandtailed pigeons, badgers, bobcats, and porcupines.

Manzano Mountains
The Manzano Mountains are a long, narrow range running north and south with elevations from 6,000 feet to 10,098 feet at Manzano Peak. The area slopes gently up from the Estancia Valley to the east to about 8,000 feet in elevation and then rises abruptly to the peak. The west side drops sharply into the uplands of the Rio Grande Valley.

The Manzanos are deceptive. When viewed from highways and roads surrounding them, they exhibit little outstanding scenery. Their real natural beauty can be appreciated only at close range. Forest Road 245 from the community of Manzano provides the only vehicle access to the crest of the mountain and terminates at Capilla Peak. People are always pleasantly surprised when they arrive at the summit and view the spectacular scenery in all directions.

Tajique and Torreon canyons contain one of the largest stands of Rocky Mountain and big-toothed maple in the Southwest. The fall colors in these areas attract people from all over New Mexico. The red maples contrast with the different shades of oak, aspen and dark green conifers.

Wilderness Areas and National Grasslands
The Cibola National Forest encompasses four wilderness areas in central New Mexico: Sandia Mountain, Manzano Mountain, Withington, and Apache Kid Wildernesses. The Forest also includes national grasslands in northeastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma, and northwestern Texas, containing 263,954 acres.

The climate of the Cibola varies with elevation from desert up through juniper, pine, and spruce-fir forests. Season of recreational use: all year although the high country winter is severe. Summer nights are cool, cold above 8,000'. July and August have frequent afternoon showers.

Points of Interest
Within the forest are the Sandia Crest, 10,678 feet, accessible by car, aerial tramway and trail; Capilea Peak (9,375 feet), accessible by car; and Mount Taylor (11,301 feet), which has a good road within a mile of the top. Nearby are Indian pueblos, prehistoric ruins, ice caves, and lava flows.

Wildlife
Good deer hunting, some elk, antelope, and turkey can be found on the Cibola. Fishing is good in Bluewater and McGaffey Lakes in the Zuni Mountains Skipout, Spring Creek, and Dead Indian Lakes in Oklahoma, Lake Marvin and Lake McClelean in Texas.

The Sandia State Game Refuge, established in 1921 and enlarged in 1938, gives special protection for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mule deer, bear, turkey and other game animals. The herd of bighorn sheep has grown from an initial plant of nine in 1939 and 1940. To maintain the balance between wildlife numbers and the food supply, hunting is permitted occasionally. As on all National Forest land, the Forest Service is responsible for managing the wildlife habitat and the wildlife populations.

Towns Nearby
Albuquerque, Datil, Grants, Gallup, Magdalena, Mountainair, Socorro, and Clayton, New Mexico; Elk City and Cheyenne, Oklahoma; and Texline, Texas.