New Mexico is home to a diverse landscape that includes wide, rose-colored deserts to broken mesas and high, snow-capped peaks. Its unique geography has given it a special place in American history.
Geologically, New Mexico is the meeting point of a number of different geological and geographical provinces. These include the Southern Rocky Mountains, the Colorado Plateau, the Southwest Basins and Ranges, and the Great Plains.
The state’s highest point is Wheeler Peak, located in Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico. It is 13,161 feet (4,011 meters) above sea level and sits in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains.
Several other mountain ranges also run through the state, including the Nacimiento and Jemez Mountains in the northern part of the state. In addition to the mountains, New Mexico also contains a number of lakes.
There are many different species of plants and animals that live in the various ecosystems found on the tops of the mountains. Some of the more common ones include juniper, spruce, pine, aspen, and alpine grasses.
Other types of flora found on the summits of the peaks include sagebrush, oats, alpine daisies, and wildflowers in shades of white, purple, red, and orange. There is even a rare flower called the “alpine mat” that grows on Wheeler Peak.
The mountain also offers panoramic views of the state’s other prominent peaks, including Truchas Peak in the Santa Fe Mountains and Venado Peak in the Taos Mountains.