Q Pecos Area
Rowe Mesa 
Take the Rowe Exit on I-25, turning south a short distance to a stop sign. Turn left (east) toward San Ysidro. After 1.4 miles from the exit, turn right (south) on NM34, a good gravel road. The first 0.8 mile passes through Piñon-juniper woodland. Look for Bushtit, Common Raven and various flycatchers. At 2.2 miles from the exit, you will go over a cattle guard and enter the National Forest. Ponderosa Pine and oak cover the north facing slope of the mesa. You reach the top of the mesa at 3.2 miles. The road to the right (FR326) goes to Ojo de la Vaca and requires a high clearance, 4 wheel drive vehicle. The road to the left (gated) goes to privately owned towers in ponderosa forest. Mountain Chickadee and nuthatches may be present here. NM34 continues straight ahead and passes through Piñon-juniper grassland with widely scattered Ponderosa pines. If you continue on NM34 you will end up at White Lakes on US285. Typical birds of the mesa top are Western and Mountain Bluebirds, Vesper, Lark, Chipping, and Brewer's Sparrows, Pine Siskin, Mockingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, and various raptors. A Map of the area may be obtained from the Santa Fe National Forest office in Pecos (just south of the junction of NM63 and NM50).

Cow Creek 
This area is best birded when there is no snow. A high clearance vehicle is recommended. In Pecos, at the corner of NM63 , NM50, NM223, go east on NM223. At 0.7 miles the road crosses the Pecos River. Park off the road and bird from the bridge. During summer look for swallows, tanagers, grosbeaks, and orioles. Continue on NM223 which soon becomes a rough gravel road. The habitat quickly changes to pine/oak. Although Cow Creek is only 8 miles, the travel time is 45 minutes because of the road. Be aware that the burned areas of the forest are being logged and logging trucks use the road. As the road climbs the habitat changes to mixed conifer. Birding can be done at any spot along the road where there is room to safely pull off. At 13.7 miles FR86 goes north (right) to Bull Creek. You reach the National Forest at mile 15.9. There are many areas to pull off and/or camp. Birds include Three-toed Woodpecker, Hermit Thrush, MacGillvary's and Grace's Warblers, Western Tanager, Black-head Grosbeak, and other montane species.

Pecos Canyon 
The canyon runs along the Pecos River from the corner of NM63 and NM50 in Pecos to Jack's Creek north of Cowles (or 20 miles north of Pecos). There are a number of pull-offs and river access areas along the road. Fishing and camping pressure is high during the spring and summer, so bird this area during the week. The first stop is at Monastery Lake 2.4 miles from the corner. This lake can have a variety of waterbirds as well as warblers. Dipper is common along the Pecos River in winter. Dalton Canyon road on the left traverses a recent burn that has resident Three-toed Woodpecker. The road to Holy Ghost (left at Terrero) has Red Crossbill and Red-naped and Williamson's Sapsuckers in the camp ground area. Jack's Creek has Blue Grouse as well as crossbills and sapsuckers. Clark's Nutcracker is irruptive (depending on the pine nut crop) anywhere along the road.

FR646 to Elk Mountain
This area is best birded when there is no snow and requires a high clearance vehicle. FR646 leaves NM 63 a short distance above the Terrero General Store. Stop at the store during summer to look at the hummingbird feeders. During July and August you should be able to see all four hummingbirds that live in or pass through our area. It is about 14 miles to Elk Peak from the turn off. The view from the top of Elk Mountain (11,600 ft.) is stupendous. Along FR646 there are a number of places well worth birding. Pull well off the road at anypoint that you find birds. Some particular areas are at 4.8 miles where a group of Purple Martins bred. Another is a wide meadow at 10.1 to 10.4 miles where Blue Grouse, Pine Grosbeak, Three-toed Woodpecker, Gray Jay, and Clark's Nutcracker have been found.