All of the photos were taken in December 2023 of Pitchford Properties Unit 91 Lots 137, 138 & Unit 94 Lots 401, 402 and the surrounding views.           

To view larger maps/photos just simply click the thumbnail to expand. You can scroll by using the arrow keys on your keyboard as well.

To view the maps/photos in a larger window hover your mouse over the small image, right click and then choose "Open Link".

Make sure to check the map section to see where photos were taken in relation to the property being sold in case the above named property is not the property being sold in this listing.

Prior to visiting the property I suggest you study the maps and the satellite image as they tell the story on how to get there. Get a mental picture of how to get to a property from a main road. I frequently write notes on how I got to the property.

Print out the important maps like the parcel map, aerial photo with the GPS coords and street map. These are the maps I use myself if I was going to view the property. You can enter the latitude and longitude into Google or Bing maps by putting a comma between them.

I also suggest you bring a street dedicated GPS like a Garmin, not your phone. Do not rely on your GPS to take you the correct way as she'll take you down miles of roads that aren't the main drags. I've named mine Thelma and Louise because she's tried to drive me off a cliff a few times! If I could just get Brad Pitt to sit in the back seat! : )

Most of the properties I sell are down some kind of dirt road - my favs! Be smart and bring a shovel, water, food, blankets, mace, a dog and anything else you might need if you get stuck for a day or two. I've been stuck in the sand, a marsh, had tires blow out - you name it. Be prepared, be safe, and have fun. She's a beautiful Earth. We only get one shot here - get out there and see all she has to offer. Char the Explorer : )

Cibola County is located in the southernmost tip of the Rocky Mountains in the Zuni Mountain Range and home of the Cibola National Forest and Bluewater Lake State Park. Its very rich in history and for the past 220 million years has been host to a variety of travelers including the dinosaurs and prehistoric culture called the Ancient Ones.

I've spent quite a bit of time exploring this area over the years. I've marveled at the rock windows in the Prehistoric Cliff Dwellings, saw petroglyph writings for my first time, explored archaeological sites, camped, toured the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary a few times, hiked to the top of El Morro National Monument, sat on a warm rock outcroppings with my sister staring for miles across the Zuni Mountains, and watched Buddy sniff out lizards!

Candy Kitchen is a small isolated community and home to a diverse group of people. It prides itself on sustainable ways of living. It originated with a rancher who made moonshine liquor during the prohibition era. As a front for purchasing large amounts of sugar to produce his liquor, he manufactured pinon nut candy. People would come to his ranch to purchase candy over the counter and illegal liquor under the counter. It is now home of the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing permanent, safe sanctuary for abused and abandoned captive-bred wolves and wolf-dogs.

Across the street from the wolf sanctuary is the Candy Kitchen Trading Post, a great spot to stop for a cold drink and great sub sandwich. They offer food items, propane, wood, and hardware supplies.

Pine Meadow Ranches is another small community that sits on the back side of the El Morro National Monument. Also known as the Inscription Rock it rises 200 feet above the plains this was once the site of two Anasazi Pueblos in 1275 A. D. The largest pueblo was made up of over 900 rooms. Hundreds of Indian petroglyphs are found at the base as well chiseled names of numerous explorers, soldiers, settlers, and immigrants. This sandstone has been known for thousands of years for the pool of water by the great rock offering a resting stop.

This area today is designated a National Park. On MLK Day in January 2013 Buddy and I finally had the opportunity to visit El Morro National Monument. We trekked around the bottom checking out the pool of water and inscriptions. I especially liked the carving by a young woman, A F Baley (America Francis Baley,) who was one of the few females to sign it. Her and her sister were with a party crossing to California and stopped here for rest. 500 miles west they were involved in a skirmish with Indians and several died on each side. The sisters eventually did find their way to California and I am left thinking what brave women they were and wow what it must have been like to have been alive back then!

We then got brave and took the two mile trail up to the top of the mesa to see the ancient pueblo ruins. There were some stairs along the way and it was a good work out but ahead of me was a woman at least 20 years older and if she could do it so could I! She snapped a photo of me at the ruins and you can see for miles over the valley from up there - just stunning! And then I turned around and realized that the tree lines in the distance and the beautiful rocks with their red and white colors washed thru them were the same rocks I had been photographing for over 10 years now while out exploring Pine Meadow Ranches!

In February 2013 I explored the east edge of Pine Meadow Ranches where the edge of the sandstone mesa is! Wow was it a long way down and I was nervous when my friend climbed out onto one of the rocks hanging 200 feet over the rocks below!

A video of Char and Buddy exploring the east edge of Pine Meadow Ranches, the historical El Morro National Monument sandstone that rises 200 feet off the valley floor.

I often stay at the cabins at El Morro RV Park & Cabins and grab a fabulous cup of coffee and one of their decadent baked goodies as I head out. It sure is beautiful waking up there after the snow has fallen, stunning to watch the giant sandstone monument wake up as the sun lights her up!

There is a cute little country store across the street and along its front yard wall it says "All I have is my planting stick and my corn. If you can live as I do you are welcome to live with me." It comes from the Hopi, a Native America Nation who primarily live on the 1.5 million acre Hopi Reservation in northeaster Arizona. Hopis call themselves Hopitu - The Peaceful People. Nice : )

I stopped by Bluewater Lake State Park for my first time in September 2016. Its about 25 miles W of Grants and 1.25 hours from the ranch. I was surprised to see herons and pelicans and had to do some fact checking to make sure they indeed lived here!

Click here to read Char's Journey around Cibola County to Bluewater Lake, Nutria Lake and Ramah in April 2022!

Bluewater Lake

Nutria Lake

Beautiful deer hanging out at Timberlake Ranch!

Prehistoric Cliff Dwellings at Timberlake Ranch

LOCAL LINKS

New Mexico Fish and Game Website

Hunting and Gaming Map for Unit 12

Local community website Living Along the Ancient Way - a great resource for the El Morro Valley that includes local utility phone numbers and where to play in the area!

Wild Spirit Wold Sanctuary

Blue Water State Park