In New Mexico, the Colorado Plateau is a place of broad, sage-filled plateaus whose edges erode away into colorful badlands filled with geologic oddities that let the imagination run wild. It is also a place where lava-capped mesas covered in pinyon-juniper and ponderosa pine forests drop precipitously down to arroyos meandering around volcanic plugs, cinder cones, and lava flows.

Some of the greatest archaeological treasures in the US are found in this region. Canyons beckon further exploration, not just for their scenic beauty, but also for the possibility of finding petroglyphs. Elaborate puebloan cities with kivas, intricate architecture, and central trading areas connected by an ancient system of 'roads' speak of a complex prehistoric civilization that rose and fell, likely because of severe drought combined with over-exploitation of the surrounding natural resources. These ancient cities are a reminder to modern people that we should utilize our resource carefully and preserve the fragile ecosystem of this arid environment.

In New Mexico, the most prominent feature on the Colorado Plateau is Cabezon Peak, icon of Cabezon Country. Situated in the Rio Puerco Valley, it is one of over 50 volcanic plugs that have been exposed through erosion of the Mount Taylor volcanic field. According to Navajo legend, Cabezon Peak is the head of a large giant that was slain by the Twin War Gods; its body became what is now Mount Taylor, and its blood flowed south and congealed in what is now El Malpais National Monument.

With elevations ranging from under 3,000 to over 12,000 feet, biotic communities in this ecoregion encompass semi-arid grasslands and shrublands to alpine tundra. These habitats, in turn, sustain a rich diversity of wildlife. Mammals that exist in the region include mountain lion, elk, deer, desert bighorn sheep, Sonoran pronghorn, and prairie dog. The endangered Mexican spotted owl's range is centered in the Colorado Plateau. Other animals that once roamed the region include the gray wolf, black-footed ferret, and California condor, species with reintroduction efforts underway. For these species and many more, preservation of wild lands within the Colorado Plateau is tantamount to their survival. This is still possible since much of the region has retained its natural and primeval character and is worthy of protection as wilderness.