Northern New Mexico

October is the sweet spot for trout in northern New Mexico. Summer's heat has loosened its grip, water temperatures are dropping into the trout's comfort zone, and fish that spent the summer holding deep are feeding with purpose. This week's state fishing report, compiled from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, shows favorable conditions across Carson country — from the Pecos River to the Rio Grande near Questa.

Elk season is the main event of the New Mexico hunting year, and much of the best elk country in the state lies within the Carson National Forest. If you are planning to hunt elk in the Carson country this fall, here is how the 2026 seasons shape up.

Every state has a rooftop, and New Mexico's sits deep in the Carson National Forest. Wheeler Peak rises to 13,161 feet, the highest ground in the state, and the most popular way to stand on it is the Wheeler Peak Trail via Williams Lake — about eight miles round trip with roughly 3,000 feet of elevation gain, starting near Taos Ski Valley.