Winter in New Mexico is brought to you courtesy of the mountains. In New Mexico altitude really is everything.
The lofty heights of the mountains in New Mexico make it possible to snowmobile in the most southern locales in the United States, down around Cloudcroft in the Lincoln National Forest.
The Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide are the main mountain range in the state, which enters the United States in New Mexico. The Rockies wind their way through New Mexico from south to north from Mexico to Colorado, dominating the landscape in the western part of the state.
New Mexico has six peaks rising higher than 13,000 feet and 38 peaks reaching past 12,000 feet, most of which are part of the Continental Divide. However, those aren’t the only mountains in New Mexico and thus, not the only places to snowmobile.
There is a small range in the central part of the state between Alamogordo and Roswell, mentioned above, as well as numerous mountains up north, where most of the state’s downhill ski areas are.
Though there is no statewide snowmobile trail grooming program, there are a half-dozen fairly defined riding areas in the state, stretching from near the bottom portion of New Mexico near Cloudcroft north to the New Mexico/Colorado border.
The major riding areas in this state of Enchantment are (from north to south): Chama, Red River, Angel Fire, Mt. Taylor, San Pedro Mountains, Jemez Mountains and Cloudcroft.