The Mora River watershed, which stretches from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the west to the Canadian River Canyon in the east, waters Mora County.  The beautiful, rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains level off towards the rolling prairie grasslands in the east, which are dotted with occasional peaks and ridges. 

Large-scale ranching operations on the eastern plains constitute a major source of income.  Good water and a landscape that climbs almost 7,000 feet from east to west provide habitats for a variety of plants and animals.  Deer, bear, elk, lion, turkeys and antelope populate the mountains and plains.  Flowers range from the isolated and endangered tiger lily to whole fields of wild oregano.  Eagles cruise the airways, the water dipper frequents the abundant trout streams, and a host of other birds are found in meadows and groves.