The Alamita Canyon Ranch is a spectacular 10,000+ acre ranch, one of the premier hunting/recreation/cattle properties in northeastern New Mexico.
The Canadian River runs for five miles through the heart of the ranch sculpting a 600-foot deep canyon with sheer stone cliffs, finger-like side canyons surrounded by arroyos, mesas and plateaus. The river is lined by giant cottonwoods, box elder, willows and elms, while a variety of other species thrive on the high ground.
Along with the river, numerous dirt tanks, ponds and two lakes coupled with a piping system from three excellent wells in the canyon provide a dual water supply for livestock and wildlife.
The ranch won the prestigious Mesa Conservation District Award in 2018 for development of the water resources and grazing and wildlife habitat enhancement.
LOCATION/ACREAGE
The ranch encompasses 7,210 deeded acres and 3,110 acres of New Mexico State Land Trust lease, spanning both Harding and Mora counties.
The entrance to the headquarters is at the bottom of the canyon off Highway 120 just 27 miles from the Wagon Mound exit from I-25. The headquarters is at an elevation of 4,900 feet above sea level. The owners home is two miles off Highway 120, the entry gate just a short distance from the headquarters entrance. The owners home also has access to the headquarters though a network of internal roads and sits at an elevation of 5,600 feet.
Santa Fe is an easy 1.75 hours drive from the ranch via Highway 120 and I-25. Albuquerque is 2.75 hours from the ranch. Historic Las Vegas is an hour’s drive away and is a regional center for shopping. The village of Roy is seven miles from the ranch and has a gas station, a post office, a auto repair shop, a bakery, a small convenience store, churches, and a USDA office. Angel Fire and Red River ski areas are a little over an hour from the ranch. The Taos ski mountain is two hours away.
IMPROVEMENTS
The owner’s home is 4,200 square feet and sits on the rim of the confluence of Alamita Canyon and the Canadian River Canyon. The home is secluded yet easily accessed through an electric gate off Highway 120. On the main level there are three bedrooms with full baths and walk-in closets with built-in dressers. The house has in-floor heating and each room has its own air conditioning unit.
An in-ground, heated infinity Jacuzzi teeters on the canyon’s edge a short distance from the house. The Jacuzzi has been listed as one of the top ten in the United States.
Manager’s House
The manager’s house is 1900 square feet and exceptionally well-appointed with three bedrooms with walk-in closets and two baths. The kitchen is spacious with top-of-the-line appliances and there is an office, dining area, and a comfortable covered porch. The house is heated with forced-air and fully air conditioned. There is a sprinkler system for the lawn, and a fenced garden with fruit trees and a greenhouse a short walk from the house.
Shop/Hunter’s Quarters
A recently constructed, 2400 square foot, foam insulated, metal building houses a fully outfitted shop, a generous storage area, and quarters for hunters featuring 1200 square feet with a bedroom, bath, walk-in closet, laundry, kitchen and living area. It is heated with forced-air with a back-up wood stove and it is air conditioned.
Horse Barn and Paddock
The three-stall, 28’X30’ horse barn was designed to match the owner’s home and is constructed of Rastra block. There is an 80’X120’ outdoor riding arena built of welded pipe with holding pens for roping steers.
CATTLE
The ranch has four high pastures surrounding the canyon. They are used in rotation for grazing and are easily accessed from ranch roads. All pastures have a dual water system and are fenced. Over 700 acres have been masticated to improve grazing for the cattle and enhance wildlife habitat.
HUNTING
The ranch is located in Game Management Unit 47. With varied terrain, prolific water, and high protein grasses the ranch is home to large numbers of all the big game species indigenous to northeastern New Mexico.
Although the current owner has restricted the hunting, trophy elk, Barbary sheep and mule deer have been harvested selectively. Two state-record Barbary sheep were taken in 2018. Because of the hunting restriction, strong genetics, and prime habitat the numbers and quality of the big game on the ranch has improved. Trophy bulls spend the fall and winter in the canyon and large numbers of Barbary sheep roam the ranch year-round. Mule deer and turkeys abound. Black bears are plentiful and pronghorn move in and out of the upper grasslands. The river and lakes hold geese and ducks year-round.
Fishing
Deep holes in the river hold large numbers of channel catfish and large mouth bass. It’s not uncommon to catch an 18-inch catfish which will easily feed two hungry fishermen. One of the canyon lakes is spring fed and would likely support trout.