Wheeler Peak Wilderness
The 19,661-acre (7,957 ha) Wheeler Peak Wilderness lies in the Carson National Forest of New Mexico. It contains the highest point in the state, 13,161-foot (4,011 m) Wheeler Peak as well as Williams Lake.
History
Established as the Wheeler Peak Wild Area in 1960,[1] 6,051 acres (2,449 ha) the area was re-designated the Wheeler Peak Wilderness in 1964 with the passage of the Wilderness Act. The area was expanded by 14,700 acres (5,900 ha) in 1980 with the passage of the New Mexico Wilderness Act.[2] In 1996, public law 104-333[3] transferred 764 acres (309 ha) from the wilderness south of the ridge between Simpson Peak and Old Mike Peak and west of Blue Lake to the nearby Taos Pueblo.
Flora and fauna
The Wheeler Peak Wilderness is home to a variety of birds and mammals. Marmots, pikas, bighorn sheep, and golden eagles are year-round residents. Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer dwell in the area during the summer season, feeding on grasses and new aspen growth in the higher elevations. Although bighorn sheep are native to the area, the local population was re-introduced to the area in 1993. Other local avian fauna include many common rocky mountain species such magpies, Canada jays, chickadees and woodpeckers.[4]
Many rivers and alpine lakes within the Wheeler Peak wilderness are stocked with cutthroat and/or rainbow trout every few years by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.[4]
Flora of the Wheeler Peak Wilderness vary by altitude, and include cottonwoods, Bristlecone pines, Engelmann spruce and sub-alpine fir and many species of wildflower.[4]
See also
References
- ^ Julyan, B: New Mexico's Wilderness Areas: The Complete Guide, page 73. Big Earth Publishing, 1999
- ^ "Public Law 96-550" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-07-19.
- ^ "Public Law 104-333" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-07-19.
- ^ a b c "WHEELER PEAK WILDERNESS -Questa Ranger District". USDA Forest Service - Carson National Forest. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
External links
- Wheeler Peak Wilderness - US Forest Service
- Wheeler Peak Wilderness - Wilderness.net
- Wheeler Peak - Peakbagger.com
- v
- t
- e
- Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
- Old Spanish Trail
- Santa Fe Trail
- Aldo Leopold
- Apache Kid
- Bandelier
- Bisti/De-Na-Zin
- Blue Range
- Bosque del Apache
- Capitan Mountains
- Carlsbad Caverns
- Cebolla
- Chama River Canyon
- Columbine–Hondo
- Cruces Basin
- Dome
- Gila
- Latir Peak
- Manzano Mountain
- Ojito
- Pecos
- Sabinoso
- Salt Creek
- San Pedro Parks
- Sandia Mountain
- West Malpais
- Wheeler Peak
- White Mountain
- Withington
- East Fork Jemez River
- Pecos River
- Red River
- Rio Chama
- Rio Grande
- Bluewater Lake
- Bottomless Lakes
- Brantley Lake
- Caballo Lake
- Cerrillos Hills
- Cimarron Canyon
- City of Rocks
- Clayton Lake
- Conchas Lake
- Coyote Creek
- Eagle Nest Lake
- El Vado Lake
- Elephant Butte Lake
- Fenton Lake
- Heron Lake
- Hyde Memorial
- Leasburg Dam
- Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
- Manzano Mountains
- Mesilla Valley Bosque
- Morphy Lake
- Navajo Lake
- Oasis
- Oliver Lee Memorial
- Pancho Villa
- Percha Dam
- Rio Grande Nature Center
- Rockhound
- Santa Rosa Lake
- Storrie Lake
- Sugarite Canyon
- Sumner Lake
- Ute Lake
- Villanueva
This New Mexico state location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- v
- t
- e