The Santa Fe National Forest, with headquarters in Santa Fe, lies
directly south of the Carson National Forest on both sides of the Rio
Grande and is the center of a region rich in natural resources as well
as historic and geologic interests. The two divisions of the Forest
contain the high mountains to the east and west in the central section
of the state. The Pecos Division to the east of the Rio Grande is the
location of the major part of the Pecos Wilderness Area, one of the
earliest of such areas to be established.
The Pecos Division is so named because the Pecos River, which later
joins the Rio Grande in Texas, heads among its towering mountains in a
beautiful alpine basin sometimes called the _Pecos Horseshoe_. The Pecos
River is one of the state’s largest streams and supplies some of its
most important irrigation projects. This division of the Forest includes
the southern part of the Sangre de Cristo range and was first known as
the Pecos River Forest Reserve, established in 1892—the oldest National
Forest in the Southwest. The division abounds in clear, cold mountain
lakes and streams. Truchas Lakes, Pecos Baldy, Stewart Lake, Spirit
Lake, and Lost Lake, as well as many mountain streams, lure not only the
fisherman but the hiker and camper to their wilderness beauty.
Twenty-three developed campgrounds and picnic areas located in cool
glades are ready for the visitor along roads leading into the Forest
from Santa Fe, Pecos, Glorieta, Las Vegas, and other communities. Skiing
and winter sports are available at the Santa Fe Ski Basin northeast of
Santa Fe; the chair lift operates year around for those who wish merely
to view the spectacular scenery. The Pecos Division watersheds of the
Santa Fe National Forest, like the eastern section of the Carson,
contribute generously to the water flow of the Rio Grande.
Wild game, game birds, and fishing attract visitors at all times of the
year, while the golden hues of the aspen in the autumn tempt artists and
photographers to record on canvas and film nature’s fall colors. A trip
just before the winter snows to the aspen country of the Santa Fe
National Forest is a must. Ranger stations are located at Santa Fe, Las
Vegas, and Pecos.
[Illustration: An Izaak Walton along the Pecos river]
West of the Rio Grande are the Jemez Mountains, which form the Jemez
Division of the Santa Fe National Forest. The Jemez country is a
favorite area for fishermen and hunters. For the sturdy hiker and
picnicker, there are hundreds of fascinating points to visit and peaks
to climb. Capulin Peak, Dead Man’s Peak, Nacimiento Peak, and Cerro
Pedernal are a few of the exciting ones. The Jemez country contains the
San Pedro Parks Wild Area, northeast of Cuba where San Gregorio Lake is
waiting for the fisherman or hiker willing to walk or ride horseback.
This section abounds in unique geologic formations—Battleship Rock, Tent
Rocks, Teakettle Rock, to name a few.
Eighteen developed camping and picnicking areas welcome the visitor to
the Jemez Division. Youth groups also favor the Jemez for their summer
camping. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, YMCA, and others have
camps adjacent to the Santa Fe National Forest. Timber production,
wildlife habitat management, livestock grazing, and watershed protection
are among the activities of the Jemez Division, while visitors and
travelers enjoy the forest, the streams, and the unique scenery. Ranger
stations are at Jemez Springs, Cuba, Espanola, and Coyote.