The Datil Mountains are a small range on the northern edge of the Mogollon-Datil volcanic field, just northwest of the Plains of San Agustin in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The range lies in Socorro and Catron Counties, north of the town of Datil, New Mexico and takes its name from the Spanish word for “date,” dating back over two hundred years. In The Place Names of New Mexico, Robert Julyan suggests two possible explanations for the name: 1) that “the seedpods of the broad-leafed yucca sufficiently resembled dates” or 2) “the Spanish applied the name to the fruit of the prickly pear cactus.”[2] The area includes the major ridgeline of Madre Mountain (elev. 9,556 feet), which is sacred ground to the Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni tribes, as well as several other unnamed peaks and ridges.[3]
Datil Mountains
Looking south at the Madre Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area in the Datil Mountains.
The Datil Inventoried Roadless Area within the Datil Mountains.
The majority of the Datil Mountains are part of the Magdalena Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest. There are two Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) within the Datil Mountains: the Datil (13,974 acres) and Madre Mountain (19,855 acres) IRAs. The landscape is expansive and natural with steep-sided hills cloaked with dense conifer forest. The jagged Sawtooth Mountains can be seen to the west.
The range contains important breeding ground for mountain lion and the southern portion is important for mountain lion connectivity.[4]The Nature Conservancy identified the Datils as a key conservation area in New Mexico due to the range's ecological diversity and species richness.[5]
Wildlife in the Datil Mountains
A mule deer fawn in the snow. Photo: US Forest Service.
The Datil Mountains provide outstanding opportunities for hiking, camping, backpacking, hunting, rock climbing, horseback riding and other forms of primitive dispersed recreation given the natural and rugged character, high quality habitat, remarkable views, and size. Thompson Canyon features the challenging Enchanted Tower, and is a popular destination for rock climbers.
^Julyan, Robert (1996). The Place Names of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press.
^Basham, M. (2011). Magdalena Ranger District Background Survey. US Forest Service.
^Menke, K. (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-05-15.
^The Nature Conservancy (2004). "Chapter 10: Ecological & Biological Diversity of the Cibola National Forest, Mountain Districts" (PDF). Ecological and Biological Diversity of National Forests in Region 3.
External linksedit
Cibola National Forest official website
Socorro County InfoNet
New Mexico Game and Fish
April 11, 2024
datil, mountains, small, range, northern, edge, mogollon, datil, volcanic, field, just, northwest, plains, agustin, state, mexico, range, lies, socorro, catron, counties, north, town, datil, mexico, takes, name, from, spanish, word, date, dating, back, over, h. The Datil Mountains are a small range on the northern edge of the Mogollon Datil volcanic field just northwest of the Plains of San Agustin in the U S state of New Mexico The range lies in Socorro and Catron Counties north of the town of Datil New Mexico and takes its name from the Spanish word for date dating back over two hundred years In The Place Names of New Mexico Robert Julyan suggests two possible explanations for the name 1 that the seedpods of the broad leafed yucca sufficiently resembled dates or 2 the Spanish applied the name to the fruit of the prickly pear cactus 2 The area includes the major ridgeline of Madre Mountain elev 9 556 feet which is sacred ground to the Acoma Laguna and Zuni tribes as well as several other unnamed peaks and ridges 3 Datil MountainsLooking south at the Madre Mountain Inventoried Roadless Area in the Datil Mountains LocationNew Mexico United StatesNearest cityDatil NMCoordinates34 17 28 N 107 50 24 W 34 291 N 107 840 W 34 291 107 840 1 Governing bodyU S Forest Service Cibola National Forestwww wbr fs wbr usda wbr gov wbr cibola wbr The Datil Inventoried Roadless Area within the Datil Mountains The majority of the Datil Mountains are part of the Magdalena Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest There are two Inventoried Roadless Areas IRAs within the Datil Mountains the Datil 13 974 acres and Madre Mountain 19 855 acres IRAs The landscape is expansive and natural with steep sided hills cloaked with dense conifer forest The jagged Sawtooth Mountains can be seen to the west Contents 1 Ecology 2 Recreation 3 References 4 External linksEcology editThe Datils contain scrubland pinyon juniper woodland ponderosa pine forest deciduous oak and grassland areas At lower elevations grasses include black and sideoats grama poverty three awn burrograss and galleta grass Higher up grass species include blue and hairy grama and little bluestem Shrubs include sotol cholla yucca Apache plume mountain mahogany shrub live oak gambel oak and alligator juniper Wildlife includes elk mule deer Merriam s turkey black bears bobcats coyotes foxes bald and golden eagles prairie falcon kestrel hawks and owls as well as Gambel s scaled and Mearn s quail The range contains important breeding ground for mountain lion and the southern portion is important for mountain lion connectivity 4 The Nature Conservancy identified the Datils as a key conservation area in New Mexico due to the range s ecological diversity and species richness 5 Wildlife in the Datil Mountains nbsp A mule deer fawn in the snow Photo US Forest Service nbsp A mountain lion in the Cibola National Forest Photo US Forest Service nbsp The Datil Mountains are home to elk Photo US Forest Service nbsp Bobcats live in the Datil Mountains Photo US Fish and Wildlife Service nbsp A black bear in Cibola National Forest Photo US Forest Service Recreation editThe Datil Mountains provide outstanding opportunities for hiking camping backpacking hunting rock climbing horseback riding and other forms of primitive dispersed recreation given the natural and rugged character high quality habitat remarkable views and size Thompson Canyon features the challenging Enchanted Tower and is a popular destination for rock climbers References edit Datil Mountain Range Mountain Zone Julyan Robert 1996 The Place Names of New Mexico University of New Mexico Press Basham M 2011 Magdalena Ranger District Background Survey US Forest Service Menke K Locating Potential Cougar Puma concolor Corridors in New Mexico Using a Least Cost Path Corridor GIS Analysis PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2013 05 15 The Nature Conservancy 2004 Chapter 10 Ecological amp Biological Diversity of the Cibola National Forest Mountain Districts PDF Ecological and Biological Diversity of National Forests in Region 3 External links editCibola National Forest official website Socorro County InfoNet New Mexico Game and Fish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Datil Mountains amp oldid 1192486694, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
