Gila National Forest

The Gila National Forest covers 3.3 million acres in southwestern New Mexico. The forest's beauty is in its diverse landscape of rugged mountains, deep canyons, meadows, and semi-desert country. Elevations on the forest range from 4,200 to 10,900 feet. Vegetation ranges from ocotillo and cactus in lower elevations, to juniper and pine at middle elevations, and to aspen and spruce-fir forests in the high mountains. Wildlife is plentiful and diverse. Black bear, mountain lion, elk, mule deer, Coues deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and wild turkey are a few of the animals that make the Gila National Forest their home. The Gila, San Francisco, and Mimbres Rivers; Catwalk National Recreation Trail; Continental Divide National Scenic Trail; Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument; Trails of the Mountain Spirits and Geronimo Trail National Scenic Byways are but a few of the many attractions on the Gila.