Mangitas Springs Ranch

Create your own place to stay and get enough landowner elk tags to bring your friends along too! Forest inholdings in the Gila don’t come up for sale often and this one definitely sets the bar high. Water is key in the western U.S. to create wildlife corridors. Multiple springs weave throughout the entirety of the property creating an oasis in the middle of unit 15, one of the most coveted elk hunting units in the entire western United States. Land Approximately 115 acres inholding in the Gila National Forest.  Land is composed of mostly an open valley with water running the entire property length.  Vegetation is very diverse and has been well managed with brush management performed by the current owner.  Trees include Ponderosa Pine, Gambel Oak, Pinon Pine and Alligator Juniper. Grasses include cool seasons like western wheatgrass and warm seasons like blue and sideoats gramma. Improvements Great opportunity build your own off grid cabin to your liking. There is a small carport on the property, which can be seen in the listing photos. Permanent water was established through a new solar well with storage. Fences, both interior and exterior, have been well maintained. Recreation Landowner Deer & Elk  Tags With general drawings averaging a 2% success rate, and sometimes many years to draw a coveted tag, is it time for you to secure that legacy hunting dream property with landowner tags? Mangitas Springs Ranch received 5 landowner elk tags in 2024 and qualifies for over-the-counter mule deer tags.  (Always check regs.) Big Game Hunting-Along the Eastern Arizona state line in Western New Mexico is the renowned and prestigious Unit 15. Among the Gila National Forest, Unit 15 is a primitive weapon only hunting unit, that keeps its trophy quality at its forefront. Game Management Unit 15 is one of the premiere elk hunting units in North America today. GMU 15 has a variety of terrain and habitat. Elevations range from approximately 6,000 – 8,000 feet. GMU 15 offers the hunter a wide range of hunting areas ranging from very difficult steep, rocky canyons to rolling cedar-covered hills to wide open prairies with an abundance of elk herds scattered throughout the unit with great trophy potential, making it an elk hunters paradise. Fishing- The 800-acre Quemado Lake Recreation Area is located approximately 20 miles south of Quemado. The recreation area includes the 131-acre manmade trout lake with two ADA fishing piers, two boat ramps, seven developed campgrounds, one primitive campground, and links to more than seven miles of hiking trails. The lake is nestled between piñon-juniper woodlands and pine forests at an elevation of 7860 feet. Quemado is stocked all with rainbow trout in fall, winter and spring months. The lake offers year-round trout fishing and warm water fishing for channel catfish and smallmouth bass during the summer months. Other lakes in the Gila National Forest are Snow Lake and Lake Roberts. Agriculture The area is abundant in vegetation and using cattle grazing to help maintain a healthy ecosystem outside of the hunting season would be a great opportunity, also to minimize taxes on the property. Water/Mineral Rights & Natural Resources Water rights associated with the recently drilled well and the spring will convey with the sale Region & Climate Luna, NM has a mild climate that generally remains comfortable year-round. Summers are hot and dry with temperatures reaching up to the mid-90s, while winters are cooler and usually get no lower than the mid-30s. Despite its desert environment, there is plenty of sunshine throughout the year that helps keep Luna’s climate pleasant. Rainfall is sparse overall, although occasional thunderstorms occur during the summer months. Winters tend to be drier and cooler than summers, making them an ideal time for outdoor activities. History The Mangitas Springs Ranch has been in private ownership for 200 years. Most recently, it has been managed for hunting and has had water development, brush management, and spring improvements to maintain wildlife habitat. Wildlife are abundant due to its adjacent forest cover and abundant water. Location The property sits almost adjacent to Forest Road 19, a maintained gravel road. It is 19 miles to Luna, NM, 34 miles to Quemado, NM, or Alpine, AZ, 40 miles to Reserve, NM, and 42 miles to Springerville, AZ. T-16 Reserve Airport, with 4800’ runway, is approximately 34 miles away. Albuquerque International Sunport is approximately 3.5 hours and Tucson and El Paso Airports are just over 5 hours away.