Sugarite Canyon State Park

Sugarite Canyon State Park is a state park of New Mexico, United States, featuring a historic early-20th Century coal-mining camp and natural scenery at the border of the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. The park is located on the Colorado–New Mexico state line 6mi northeast of Raton, New Mexico.SettingSugarite Canyon is located east of Raton Pass in a sparsely-populated region of lofty, steep-sided, flat-topped mesas; cone-shaped volcanoes; and old lava flows. Sugarite Canyon State Park, 3600acres in size, consists of a stream valley flanked by basalt cliffs with Bartlett and Little Horse Mesas to the west and Horse Mesa on the east. Elevations in the park are from 6950ft at the park entrance to 8350ft on top of Little Horse Mesa. The park is about 4mi long and 1.5mi wide.Most of the park is heavily forested with ponderosa pine and gambel oak forests. Along Chicorica Creek at lower elevations is a riparian forest of willow and cottonwood. Douglas fir, white fir, and aspen forests are found at higher elevations on north facing slopes. The flat top of Little Horse Mesa is a grassy meadow. Wildlife species in the park include mule deer, black bear, mountain lion, turkeys, and elk. The two artificial lakes in the park, Lake Maloya and Lake Alice are stocked with rainbow and brown trout. Abundant butterflies, wildflowers, and views down the Sugarite Valley to the Great Plains far below are highlights of the park.