Mora County
Fort Union National Monument
Photo by Laurence Parent
Admire the soft contours and warm colors of adobe walls. Breathe in the pungent piñon smoke from a woodstove, mingled with the spicy smell of chile cooking. Watch the bright ribbons of water that flow through green fields. History lies around every bend. The old west lives on. Slow down — there’s a herd of cattle ahead, ambling up the road on its way to summer pasture. Real life adventure awaits the intrepid traveller. This is Mora County.
Mora County has a well-deserved reputation as New Mexico’s prettiest place. The rugged, scenic Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the western portion gradually level off to a high grassy prairie, where scattered peaks and ridges occasionally rise out of the rolling plains. Mora County stretches the length of its Mora River watershed from the spine of the Sangre de Cristo Range in the west to the Canadian River in the east; the eastern boundary of the county is formed by the steep-sided Canadian River Canyon. The streams that make their way through the county and lakes lying on it are the lifeblood of the land.
Large scale ranching operations on the eastern plains constitute a major source of income. For many years Mora County has experienced high unemployment rates and low per capita income.
Fast Facts
County Seat
Communities
- South and East of Mora
- North of Mora
- East of Mora
Land Area
- 1,931 (square miles)
Climate
- Elevation: 6,312 feet
- Mean Temperature in January: 30.8
- Mean Temperature in July: 68.8
- Annual Precipitation (inches): 15.9
- Last Freeze Date, 1995: May 18
County Population
- 2004: 5,212
- 1996: 4,798
- 1990: 4,264
Economy
- Average per capita income, 2002: $15,025
Cities
- Guadalupita
- Ledoux
- Mora
- Wagon Mound
- Watrous
For Outdoor Enthusiasts
Good water and a landscape that climbs almost 7,000 feet from east to west provide habitats for a variety of plants and animals. Deer, bear, elk, lion, turkeys and antelope populate the mountains and plains. Flowers range from the isolated and endangered tier lily to whole fields of wild oregano. Bird lovers will find eagles cruising the airways, the shy water dipper along the abundant trout streams and a host of other birds in meadows and groves.
The Pecos Wilderness, Santa Fe National Forest and Carson National Forest are all located in the western part of Mora County, offering access to remote hunting and fishing in the mountains. Two state parks reside in Mora County. Morphy Lake State Park is located in the southeast part of the county and Coyote Creek State Park is located in the northeast part of the county.
The Wagon Mound Wildlife Refuge is located one mile north of Wagon Mound.
Driving Tours around Mora County
Santa Fe Trail
During its colorful history, the Santa Fe Trail was used by traders and merchants, mountain men, gold seekers, military expeditions, emigrants and a few early-day tourists. Follow the old Santa Fe Trail and honor the thousands of men and women who bravely pioneered across the unknown plains in modern-day Mora, Colfax, Union and San Miguel counties.
