Uncover the Newly-Accessible Sabinoso Wilderness
A nearly 20,000-acre area within San Miguel County, Sabinoso Wilderness is a region largely undeveloped and unknown. You’ll uncover beautiful country including canyons, mesas, and grass savanna. But what makes this place so unique? Until 2017, the land was inaccessible to the public without trespassing, as it was entirely surrounded by privately-owned land. At the end of 2017, the BLM received a large donation of land from the Wilderness Land Trust, which has allowed the area to become accessible to the public.
One of the great sights of this land mass is Canyon Largo, which has been home to the Anasazi, or ancestral Pueblo people. The area has also served as a wagon route during the 19th century for the U.S. Army, as well as a cattle ranch. Several homesteads can be found within the canyon, including: the Margarita Martinez Homestead, thought to be constructed between 1908 and 1922, the Martin Apodaca Homestead, thought to be abandoned by 1930, and the Nestor Martin Homestead, one of the oldest homesteads in the canyon.
Although you can get there by car, you’ll have to take in the sights either by foot or on horseback, so be sure to plan ahead. And while camping is allowed in the Wilderness, there are no camping facilities. It’s truly wilderness. You may see traces of signs, fences, and trails, but it’s important to remember not to leave signs of your visit. Allow others to discover and protect this unique region.
Visiting the Sabinoso Wilderness will bring you into a different world—a different time, and allow you to appreciate a land largely untouched. Steeped in history, you’ll want to explore all that it has to offer. Whether it’s hiking, riding horseback, photography, surveying the historical sites, or simply just taking in its breathtaking beauty—it’s a trip, a destination away from the busyness of the world, worth taking.
Want more information on visiting the Sabinoso Wilderness? Head over to www.blm.gov/visit/sabinoso-wilderness to learn more!
