Coronado NF--Clanton Canyon

Coronado NF--Clanton Canyon

Important Bird Area Coronado National Forest Animas, New Mexico 88020

Clanton Canyon Official Website
Coronado National Forest Official Website
Coronado National Forest map

Birds of Interest

Clanton Canyon is an extension of the Sierra Madre Occidental from Mexico and contains birds from the Madrean habitat. These include Montezuma Quail, Whiskered Screech-Owl, Western Screech-Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Arizona Woodpecker, Acorn Woodpecker, Juniper, and Bridled Titmouse, Bushtit, Hutton’s Vireo, and Spotted and Canyon Towhee year-round; Band-tailed Pigeon, Poorwill, Whip-poor-will, Elf Owl, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Phainopepla, Grace’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Hepatic Tanager, Scott’s Oriole summer. Yellow-eyed Junco, Mexican Chickadee winter. Other species include Prairie Falcon, Gila Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Gray Flycatcher, Bendire’s Thrasher, Crissal Thrasher, Red-faced Warbler, Olive Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Brewer’s Sparrow, Lark Bunting, Grasshopper Sparrow, Baird’s Sparrow.

About Clanton Canyon

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Clanton Canyon, located in the Peloncillo Mountains and the Coronado National Forest, is in the bootheel of southwestern New Mexico. The road through Clanton Canyon is passable by passenger car and goes from NM-338 on the east end (milepost 53, about 30 miles south of Animas, NM) to Douglas, Arizona on the west end. Vegetation in the canyon includes Arizona Sycamore, Fremont Cottonwood, Box Elder, Gray Oak, Arizona Cypress, Alligator Juniper, Chihuahua Pine, willow, beargrass, sotol, agave, yucca, cholla, prickly pear, and grasses.

Take NM-338 about 30 miles south from Animas to milepost 53. Turn west onto FR-63 for 7 miles to reach the Coronado National Forest. An additional 5 miles will bring you to the summit.

About Coronado National Forest

See all hotspots at Coronado National Forest

The Coronado National Forest spans sixteen scattered mountain ranges or "sky islands" rising dramatically from the desert floor, supporting plant communities as biologically diverse as those encountered on a trip from Mexico to Canada.

The Coronado National Forest’s 15 Sky Island mountain ranges offer awesome scenery, diverse vegetation, from deserts to conifer forests, and a wide variety of amenities in the form of visitor centers and campgrounds. Some popular activities are hiking, camping, birdwatching, and visiting historic areas. It also offers mountain bike trails, OHV areas, lakes for fishing and boating, equestrian facilities, and a ski area.

Content from Clanton Canyon Official Website and Coronado National Forest Official Website