Lincoln National Forest - White Mountain Wilderness
Lincoln National Forest - White Mountain Wilderness, Located north and west of Ruidoso, New Mexico, in the Lincoln National Forest. Unlike many large wildernesses with their numerous mountain ranges, the White Mountain Wilderness is a long north/south oriented ridge and its adjoining canyon and ridges. In the southern portion of the wilderness, elevations rise to over 11,580 feet near Lookout Mountain and the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation. Going north, the elevation begins steadily dropping to barely 6,000 feet some 12 air miles away at the northern boundary near Diamond Peak. The west side of this ridge is steeper with more rugged terrain features including some extensive rock outcroppings. The east side is gentler with broader, forested canyons and a few small streams.