The Binocular Site
Cibola National Forest, New Mexico
Rosy finches are a crowd favorite here on the Sandia Mountain. Meadows and glades are home to many animals, and each year millions of visitors ride the Sandia Peak Tram or drive along the Sandia Crest National Scenic Byway to experience the spectacular scenery here.
The mountain itself is home to many ceremonies by the Sandia pueblo, and other pueblos as well.Habitat enhancement projects monitor and protect species, along with providing a wealth of education. These projects rely on various partnership groups.
Woodpeckers are also well-known visitors, and recently the three-toed Woodpecker has been spotted by some. Wrens and hummingbirds also make their home here, along with red crossbills, Townsend’s solitaire, nuthatches, Clark’s nutcrackers, pine siskins, and Cassin’s finches.
While hiking along trails you may be surprised to find that elevations range from as low as 5000 feet to as high as 11301 feet. Although motor vehicles are now allowed at the trails, their use is strictly monitored and considered in terms of how it affects the surrounding environments.
The forest also includes parts of the Manzano Mountain, Withington, and Apache Kid areas. Interestingly the park runs Christmas tree programs every year, within specific designated areas, and with other restrictions for species, size, and cutting procedures. See the Cibola National Forest website for more information.
The state bird of New Mexico is the Greater Roadrunner and you can find a birding checklist for New Mexico here.
Photo credit to two-wrongs, used with permission under the creative commons license.
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