Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands

A mosaic of scattered mountain ranges and prairies spanning 1.6 million acres across central New Mexico, Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands encompasses some of the most geographically diverse terrain in the Southwest. The Sandia Mountains rise abruptly 5,000 feet above Albuquerque's eastern edge, accessible by the Sandia Peak Tramway -- the longest aerial tramway in the Americas -- and offering hiking, skiing, and panoramic views stretching 100 miles in every direction. Mount Taylor, rising to 11,301 feet, is one of the four sacred mountains defining the traditional Navajo homeland and supports extensive stands of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and aspen. The forest's four wilderness areas -- Sandia Mountain, Manzano Mountain, Apache Kid, and Withington -- protect landscapes ranging from Chihuahuan desert grasslands to subalpine spruce forests. The Kiowa, Rita Blanca, and Thunder Basin National Grasslands administered by Cibola stretch across the Great Plains of northeastern New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, preserving shortgrass prairie ecosystems critical for pronghorn and lesser prairie chickens. Ancient Puebloan ruins, Spanish colonial mission churches at Quarai and Abo in the nearby Salinas Pueblo Missions, and historic Route 66 corridors add rich cultural layers to this ecologically remarkable forest.