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The rainfall we've had over the last two weeks has been too sporadic to affect fuel mosture levels for the forests to reopen. It will take more consistent and steady rains to mitigate our current fire danger of extreme. I am in contact with forest service officials nearly every day to find out when the closures might be lifted. I will post that information as soon as it becomes available. Please see our announcements page for a list of what's closed and what is open. There are places to fish. Plan a little bit and venture someplace new. The Pagosa area is hot right now. The Conejos high country is a great place to backpack. Cooper's Ranch below El Vado dam is open to camping and fishing. So, be willing to try something different, you might just be glad you did!
Due to extreme fire conditions, Santa Fe National Forest and Valles Caldera National Preserve has closed the majority of the Forest and Preserve to all public access starting Thursday, June 30, 2011. In addition, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish properties/recreation sites within Pecos Canyon are closed. These recreation sites include: Bert Clancey, Terrero, Jamie Koch, Mora River and Monastery Lake. Forest Service Law Enforcement and staff will be patrolling forest roads and trails. Signs will be placed along highways and flyers will be posted throughout communities to remind the public that the Forest and Preserve are closed. The Pecos National Historical Park is also closed to fishing. Please see their website for the details at http://www.nps.gov/peco/index.htm and click on "2011 Fishing Program". All campgrounds, day use picnic areas, and trails within the Jemez Ranger District, Espanola Ranger District, Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District, Cuba Ranger District and the Valles Caldera National Preserve are closed. This include popular hilking trails around Santa Fe like Atalaya, Chamisa, and Winsor Trails, and also includes open space trails like Dorothy Stewart and Dale Ball trails. Property owners and their guests will continue to have access to private lands within the Forest. The Forest and Preserve will reopen to the public when sufficient precipitation is received to adequately reduce extremely dry conditions and reduce the risk of wildfire to a manageable level.
Extremely high fire danger has prompted the Carson National Forest to implement Stage 3 Fire Restrictions and close most of the forest effective June 30, 2011. Stage 3 fire restrictions mean that the forest is off limits to all activities, including fishing, hiking, biking,and horseback riding. This includes the Rio Costilla within the Valle Vidal unit of the Questa Ranger District, as well as the lower portion in the RCCLA Park is closed. Besides the Rio Costilla Park, the RCCLA has also closed Latir Creek and Latir Lakes until further notice. Please contact the office for more information at 575-586-0542. Popular fishing spots such as the Rio Santa Barbara, the Rio del Pueblo, the Red River, Hopewell Lake, and Cabresto Lake are all under this closure.
New Mexico State Parks has closed Hyde Memorial, Fenton Lake, Morphy Lake, Coyote Creek, and Cimarron Canyon State Parks due to extreme fire danger until further notice.
Cochiti Lake is also closed. US Army Corps of Engineers facilities at Cochiti Lake are closed through July 27th. It is being used as a water source to fight the Las Conchas Fire and the campgrounds at the lake are being used to house the firefighters.
Currently, the BLM areas like Orilla Verde, Rio Grande Wild and Scenic Rivers, and Santa Cruz Lake are open and are in Stage 1 fire restrictions. Eagle's Nest Lake, Abiquiu Lake, El Vado Lake, Heron Lake, Navajo Lake, the San Juan River, and Jicarilla Nation Lakes are open.
