4 wildlife areas in New Mexico you should know about

Apr. 19—New Mexico Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced Thursday that Bureau of Land Management lands near Placitas will be ineligible for mineral extraction for the next 50 years.

Haaland said the area is culturally and spiritually significant to Native people, important for wildlife and offers outdoor recreation opportunities.

But Placitas is certainly not the only pocket of New Mexico where public lands are home to wildlife. Here are four other spots worth visiting:

1. Pancho Villa State Park

The location: 400 West Highway 9, Columbus

What to know: This state park is near the U.S. Mexico border and offers opportunities for hiking, biking and birding. More than that, the park also features historical exhibits on the Pancho Villa Raid and Camp Furlong.

More info: emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/pancho-villa-state-park/

2. Rockhound State Park

Location: 9880 Stirrup SE, Deming

What to know: Near Deming, Rockhound State Park is an excellent spot for bird watching. Birds like Gambel's quail, Hutton's vireo and the western bluebird are known to winter there. The lesser nighthawk is one of the bird species that breeds at Rockhound State Park in the summer.

More info: emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/rockhound-state-park/

3. Petroglyph National Monument

The location: 6510 Western NW, Albuquerque

What to know: The Petroglyph National Monument is best known for protecting one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, but the volcanoes day use areas also give visitors the chance to explore cinder cone volcanoes and enjoy the scenic landscape of the Southwest.

More info: nps.gov/petr/index.htm

4. San Lorenzo Canyon

Location: Sevilleta Wildlife Refuge, La Joya

What to know: Located in the Sevilleta Wildlife Refuge just north of Socorro, San Lorenzo Canyon has sandstone cliffs, sheltered caves, hoodoos and arches, making it ideal for scenic hikes and photography. Sevilleta Wildlife Refuge is also home to a broad array of New Mexico plants and animals, including pronghorns, burrowing owls and Gunnison's prairie dogs.

More info: fws.gov/refuge/sevilleta/visit-us/trails

More stories from the Albuquerque Journal

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