Recreational Activities
Go for the Gold...
Enjoy fall colors in Carson National Forest!
For Spectacular Views
For spectacular views in the high country, consider hiking or
packing into the Pecos, Latir, Wheeler Peak, or Cruces Basin Wilderness,
or Columbine Hondo Wilderness Study Area.
Viewing Carson National Forest From your Car
- "Enchanted Circle" loop - Taos, Eagle Nest, Angel
Fire, Red River - with an optional drive to Cimarron-Valle Vidal-Questa
and then back to Taos.
- Drive up to Taos Ski Valley or along one of the most beautiful
stretches in the State - U.S. Highway 64 from Tres Piedras to
Tierra Amarilla.
View Fall Colors from the Train
Travel in style through sunlit aspen on the Cumbres & Toltec
Scenic Railroad from Chama to Antonito.
 Will
Our Children Be Able to See Aspen?
Aspen's radiant gold is brought to you by fires that raged through
this part of the world a century ago. Aspen is the mother of the
forest, usually the first tree species to appear after a fire
or after logging. Aspen sprouts from suckers in the ground and
as it grows, it shades the ground, allowing young fir and spruce
to take hold. Once they do, the aspen falls over and dies, only
to reappear once again after fire or logging.
Deer and Elk Need Aspen Too
Aspen offers autumn beauty but also keeps many deer and elk alive
through harsh winters in the mountains. These animals eat leaves
and new shoots on young aspen and the bark of taller trees. The
Forest Service helps keep the aspen part of the forest by planned
burning and selective logging in areas where deer and elk spend
the winter.
Why Do Leaves Change Color?
During spring and summer, leaves serve as factories, manufacturing
most of the foods necessary for a tree's growth. This takes place
in the leaf cells that contain chlorophyll, which gives the leaf
its green color. But leaves also contain orange and yellow pigments
masked much of the year by green chlorophyll.
Autumn's shorter days and cooler nights halt the leaf's food manufacturing.
Chlorophyll breaks down, exposing other pigments. Other chemical
changes can happen, creating even more pigments - yellow, red,
and blue - which you see in the red and purple of maples or the
bronze or brown of oak and beech.
Also, colors on the same tree can vary from year to year, depending
upon weather conditions. When autumns are warm and rainy, leaves
are less colorful.
When leaves fall to the ground and decay, they help fertilize
the soil, returning some elements borrowed by the growing tree.
Enjoy Nature's recycled autumn brilliance!
Picture of Fall Colors
- Carson National Forest
For more information contact:
Forest Supervisor
Carson National Forest
208 Cruz Alta Road
Taos, NM 87571
(575)758-6200 (Voice)
(575)758-6329 (TTY)
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