Forest Road 69 Closed for Elk Calving

The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) would like to remind

visitors to the Cuba Ranger District that Forest Road (FR) 69 is closed to all motorized vehicles,

including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), from May 15 to July 1, 2025.

This closure is in place to protect elk cows during their calving season and provide a safe habitat

as they seek areas with cover and forage during May and June. Disturbances, such as motorized

traffic and human interaction, can lead to cows aborting or abandoning their calves. After giving

birth, the mother and calf will remain in the area for about ten days until the calf is strong

enough to follow its mother to higher elevation.

Cuba District Ranger Jeremy Golston stated, “The annual closure of Forest Road 69 is listed in

the seasonal closure section of our Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). Visitors are still welcome

to walk in the area, but we ask that you be respectful of elk during this critical time for the herd.”

Federal, state, and local officials, members of organized rescue teams or firefighters, landowners

accessing their private property, and anyone else authorized by permit are exempt from the

closure order.

For more information about the seasonal closure of FR 69, please call the Cuba Ranger District

at 575-289-3264.

About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought

people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class

science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to

nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that

promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres

of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest

wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either

a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of

which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.