Editing San Miguel County, New Mexico (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|4736|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|4716|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|20|sqmi}} (0.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_35.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 2, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101195546/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_35.txt|archive-date=January 1, 2015}}</ref> The country is more than {{cvt|100|mile|km}} long from east to west and {{cvt|40|mile|km}} wide north to south and reaches from the [[Great Plains]] to the [[Rocky Mountains]]. The highest elevation in the county is {{cvt|11661|ft|m}} at Elk Mountain and the lowest elevation is on the [[Canadian River]] at about {{cvt|3800|ft|m}}.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite web |title=San Miguel |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/San-Miguel-county-New-Mexico |website=Britannica |access-date=8 January 2025}}</ref>

The eastern two thirds of the country is semi-arid [[steppe]] grassland. The [[Bell Ranch]] receives {{cvt|15|inch|mm}} of precipitation annually, most in the summer months.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bell Ranch |url=https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/bell-ranch/new-mexico/united-states/usnm0026 |website=U.S. Climate Data |access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref> The [[conifer]]-clad higher elevations in the northwest corner of the country are cooler and receive more precipitation. Gascon (near [[Rociada, New Mexico|Rociada]]) at an elevation of {{cvt|8250|ft|m}} receives {{cvt|25|inch|m}} of annual precipitation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gascon, New Mexico 1991-2020 Monthly Normals |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00293488&format=pdf |website=NOAA |access-date=8 January 2025}}</ref><ref>Google Earth, 35.338N, 103.638W</ref> Wesner Springs at an elevation of {{cvt|11120|ft|m}} on the slopes of Elk Mountain has a [[subarctic climate]] (Dfc), receiving {{cvt|37|inch|mm}} of precipitation annually.<ref name = XMACIS>
{{cite web
|url = https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/reportGenerator/view/customGroupByMonthReport/daily/854:nm:SNTL%7Cid=%22%22%7Cname/1990-10-01,1991-09-30/PREC::average_1991xmACIS2
|access-date = December 30, 2023
|publisher = U.S. Department of Agriculture 
|title = Report Generator 
}}
</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Mora County, New Mexico|Mora County]] – north
* [[Harding County, New Mexico|Harding County]] – east
* [[Quay County, New Mexico|Quay County]] – southeast
* [[Guadalupe County, New Mexico|Guadalupe County]] – south
* [[Torrance County, New Mexico|Torrance County]] – southwest
* [[Santa Fe County, New Mexico|Santa Fe County]] – west

===National protected areas===
* [[Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Pecos National Historical Park]] (part)
* [[Pecos Wilderness]] area (part) 
* [[Santa Fe National Forest]] (part)