Introduction

Long before reaching Quay County, travelers will see "Tucumcari Tonight" signs along I-40, which spans the entire width of the state. It will seem like an excellent idea to pull over to rest at one of Tucumcari's 1,200-plus motel rooms and refuel before driving on to Albuquerque, New Mexico, or Amarillo, Texas. But what those travelers miss if they keep their head down and their foot to the floor is a number of natural wonders, outdoor adventures and cultural and historic excursions. "Tucumcari Tonight" can easily be extended to "Tucumcari Today" and "Tucumcari Tomorrow"!

Not too far off the beaten path are sandstone rocks balancing in pinnacle formations, mesas and mountains, the cool winding water of the Canadian River, area lakes and a variety of wildlife including herds of prong horn antelope and mule deer, flocks of Canadian geese and sand hill cranes and many other animals.

The great plateau of El Llano Estacado or "staked plains" encompasses much of southern Quay County. This extremely large mesa covers about 32,000 square miles and extends into West Texas. In northern Quay County, the landscape generally consists of grassy mesas and rolling plains cut by numerous arroyos and canyons. The Canadian River, which flows from west to east across the northern part of the county, has been dammed to form Ute Reservoir.

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