Rainbow-hued ridges, deep jagged canyons and wind-whipped dunes await travelers wishing to venture into the rough-and-tumble geography of the Quebradas Backcountry Byway. 

This 24-mile unpaved road slices through the arroyos, or breaks, that give the area its Spanish name and offers both vast and intimate views of New Mexico’s geologic past. Wedged between two national wildlife refuges – Sevilleta and Bosque del Apache – and the state-run Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex, the Quebradas area also offers fleeting glimpses of desert wildlife, especially at dawn and dusk. Photography, rockhounding, hiking, wildlife-watching, hunting, cultural sightseeing and backcountry vehicle touring are among the many recreation opportunities.