TRAVEL

Meet the park rangers protecting the stunning wilderness of New Mexico

New Mexico hosts a staggeringly diverse range of national parks, preserves and monuments. The fifth-largest state in the US, It can experience all seasons in a day, with temperatures of 30C in the south and -15C in the mountains. Watching over it all are the rangers who steward the land, working to preserve It for future generations.

Desert landscape of white sand and vegetation at sunset — New Mexico is home to 15 National Parks, encompassing landscapes of orange rock formations and mineral white sand dunes.
Photograph by Toby Mitchell

Story and photographs byToby Mitchell

October 14, 2024

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Valles Caldera

Snowy landscape of snow mountains in the background and dark trees with a light blue sky — In north-central New Mexico is the 88,900-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve, brought into being by a huge volcanic eruption around 1.2 million years ago. Although it’s dormant, there are still signs of volcanic activity in the form of hot springs and vents shooting boiling sulphuric acid. At an elevation of 8,300ft to 10,000ft, the preserve is otherwise unusually cold for the state.

Tree standing in snowy desert against a backdrop of a forest — While visitors come to hike and admire the landscapes, the US National Park Service works to reverse the effects of centuries of resource exploitation, in projects to control erosion and restore grasslands and forest. Helping out are rangers like Lauren Ray and Melanie Portillo. They work on visitor engagement and education and say that seeing nature slowly reclaim the area is immensely rewarding.
Photographs by Toby Mitchell

Two women wearing coats and hats stand in ice at sunset smiling at the camera — While visitors come to hike and admire the landscapes, the US National Park Service works to reverse the effects of centuries of resource exploitation, in projects to control erosion and restore grasslands and forest. Helping out are rangers like Lauren Ray and Melanie Portillo. They work on visitor engagement and education and say that seeing nature slowly reclaim the area is immensely rewarding.
Photographs by Toby Mitchell

Ghost Ranch

Man standing against a backdrop of blue sky wearing cowboy boots and a cowboy hat standing on orange rock — When asked what the most special thing is about Ghost Ranch in southern New Mexico, field producer David Manzanares simply says: “The history!” This is a land whose story has many different chapters. Stretching back 130 million years, it was home to both the first dinosaurs of North America and the region’s first people, the Paleoindians. More recently, painter Georgia O’Keeffe lived and found inspiration here, and it’s formed the back drop for films including Oppenheimer, hosting hundreds of cast and crew over months of production.
Photographs by Toby Mitchell

Close up of orange desert rock — When asked what the most special thing is about Ghost Ranch in southern New Mexico, field producer David Manzanares simply says: “The history!” This is a land whose story has many different chapters. Stretching back 130 million years, it was home to both the first dinosaurs of North America and the region’s first people, the Paleoindians. More recently, painter Georgia O’Keeffe lived and found inspiration here, and it’s formed the back drop for films including Oppenheimer, hosting hundreds of cast and crew over months of production.
Photographs by Toby Mitchell

Rocky orange desert landscape at sunset — Today, the ranch exists as an education and retreat centre. People come to spot fossils in the ground, hike and ride horses over the timeless landscapes and simply enjoy 21,000 acres of natural beauty, especially the orange cliff formations called the Piedra Lumbre.

White Sands

Plants stand in white sand against a backdrop of pale blue sky — Formed over millions of years of geological activity, White Sands National Park is a surreal and spectacular sight, particularly under a clear blue sky. It’s a 275sq mile sea of gypsum, a mineral washed down from the surrounding San Andres Mountains to form dunes, some rising 60ft high.

Woman standing in snow at sunset holding up a placard — Ranger Marie G Owens is working her eighth season at White Sands (she spends the rest of her time at Yellowstone National Park) and says she’s drawn back each year by its breathtaking beauty. “There’s truly nowhere else on Earth like it,” she says.

Marie runs the Sunset Strolls, leading visitors around the dunes and sharing tales of geology and nature — such as the distinctive soaptree yucca plants that are native to the region — while the sun lowers over the park and paints the sky orange and mauve.
Photographs by Toby Mitchell

Close up of a plant in a snowy landscape — Marie runs the Sunset Strolls, leading visitors around the dunes and sharing tales of geology and nature — such as the distinctive soaptree yucca plants that are native to the region — while the sun lowers over the park and paints the sky orange and mauve.
Photographs by Toby Mitchell

Bisti/De-Na-Zin

Rocky landscape at sunset with dusty blue skies — The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness in northern New Mexico is 45,000 acres of Mars-like landscapes, made up of weathered rock-and-mineral masses known as concretions. The area is typical of badlands, where the sandstone surface has eroded over millions of years to form strange, fantastical shapes. These include ‘cracked egg’ formations — which look exactly as the name suggests. Visitors need only walk 30 minutes from the designated car parks to feel a true sense of adventure and solitude here.

Ranger and field producer Stan Allison has worked at Bisti since 2017 and is passionate about protecting its character. “It’s important to have places where man’s influence is temporary,” he says. “Places that are truly quiet and you can only hear the stillness of the air and the occasional birdsong.”

Published in the October 2024 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).

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