If you love to take pictures, you’re in the right place. Aside from its picturesque wildlife and stunning scenery, the New Mexico landscape has that most wonderful of attributes - painters’ light - also much prized by photographers. In Red River and the surrounding area there are some incredible photo ops for aspiring shutterbugs and pro photogs. A photo safari is in order.

Wildlife - Red River itself is rampant with highly photogenic deer. Not at all camera shy, these handsome creatures often seem to pose. In Moreno Valley and nearby Valle Vidal there are huge herds of elk just waiting for your lens. In the canyon between Red River and Questa, you are quite likely to see families of big horn on the rocks and sometimes the road (see cover). Try catching the antelope or the huge buffalo herd between Cimarron and Raton - it’s worth the drive.

Flora - Wildflowers are abundant along the mountain trails, rivers and highways from mid-June till late fall. They present a smorgasbord of color in the high country summer waiting for your lens to capture. A hike up Goose Creek Trail can be particularly rewarding, especially in fall.

Architecture - While Red River itself is pretty eclectic in architecture, there are many old gold mines and ghost towns in the area for the trained eye to photograph, one of the most popular being the remains of the old hotel in Elizabethtown on the hill on the way to Eagle Nest. The adobe structures of nearby churches and Santa Fe and Taos also present some interesting opportunities.

Scenery - The New Mexico landscape is truly amazing in its variety. The Upper Valley offers pastoral beauty and a view of towering peaks. Try a drive over the mountain from north of Mallette Park to Sawmill and then Greenie Peak, which offers a panoramic view clear into Colorado. The Rio Grande Gorge is spectacular from the Wild Rivers Recreation Area entrance near Cerro to the confluence of the Red River and the Rio Grande.