Forested Hillside Property Close To Ramah Lake, And Backing Up To The Cibola National Forest

The subject property is a private 20 acre parcel located just north of Ramah and just east of the upscale Timberlake Ranch community.

Ideal for hunters and outdoorsmen, this property consists of a diverse topography from flat cut-outs to forested areas, rock outcroppings and ridges. In addition, the land boasts an active creek, views of the surrounding red rock mesas and backs up to the Cibola National Forest. 

When we speak of property we typically use an address -- 123 Main Street for instance. 

As most vacant land does not have a physical address, however, county governments will identify it in other ways, such as a "legal description", a parcel number or a tax code. The information provided in the table to the right are the ways in which the various state and county agencies will identify this specific parcel of land. These signifiers are important to have when speaking with these agencies - whether they be the assessor, the zoning office, or even the local utilities - and may prove invaluable when initiating conversations about whatever research a buyer intends to do.

Whenever one exists or has been assigned to the land, the physical address will be included in this table.

Roads & Access: The subject property is located roughly five miles north of Highway 53 and is accessed off of Forest Road 157. While this road has a well-maintained gravel surface and can be safely navigated by most vehicles, it should be noted that this region can receive heavy snowfall in the winter and may not be as easy to traverse in such inclement weather. Additionally, the Forest Road may not be as regularly maintained during such periods. Fortunately, most of the drive from the highway to the Forest Road is along Timberlake Road which is privately maintained by the nearby Timberlake Owners’ Association. Either way, anyone scouting the property is advised to take a larger truck or off-road capable vehicle just in case.

Roads & Access, Cont’d: It should be noted that Forest Road 157 runs just west of the subject property but does not touch it, meaning there is no road frontage along the property boundary and roughly 1,500 feet of land separate the two. Despite this fact, the property does have legal access as confirmed by investigating chain-of-title on the land back to when the original developer subdivided and sold it.

Power & Utilities: The nearest residential power lines can be found roughly a half mile south of the subject property servicing a number of nearby developed home sites located off the Forest Road. Because of this, anyone looking to develop the land is encouraged to consider alternative energy sources such as solar panels. Anyone looking to investigate the costs associated with connecting to the grid is encouraged to contact Continental Divide Electric Cooperative, the utility company servicing this region.

Wells & Water Service: As with most of the rural land we list, city water service does not exist in this region and anyone electing to develop the land will need to either utilize holding tanks or install a well. Applications for well drilling permits and water rights are handled by the Office of the State Engineer. Anyone curious to learn more about this process is encouraged to visit their website here. Anyone looking to investigate the water table depth common to this region is encouraged to contact well drillers local to the area.

Wells & Water Service, Cont’d: It should be noted that a small stream most mapping apps identify as the Cebolla Creek runs north to south through this region and crisscrosses the neighboring property to the west. In addition, a second smaller stream seems to flow east to west along the southern boundary of the subject property feeding into this Creek. There is also a waterfall located about a mile north of the land which seems to supply some portion of this water. Because of all these factors, it seems reasonable to assume that accessing a source of year ‘round water supply or drilling for water may not be as costly as it is in other places.

Zoning: Cibola County is one of the few New Mexico counties that has no formal county-wide zoning ordinance and defers instead to towns, municipalities and owners' associations within its borders to make and enforce their own rules. Because of this, the only "local" regulations specific to this region would come either from an Association or from the covenants and restrictions on file for the subdivision.

No HOA: The subject property is not part of a formal subdivision. Because of this, there is no HOA and there are no annual dues associated with land ownership here.

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions: Because the subject property is not part of a formal subdivision there are also no covenants, conditions or restrictions on file with the County.

Deed Restrictions: When the subject property was first subdivided and sold off, a few restrictions were written into the original deed. These include stipulations about developing a home site which “blends with the natural rustic setting of the land”, is “no less than 600 square feet of heated living space” and it may not “remain unfinished for longer than 24 months following the beginning date of construction.” There is also some language which states “no existing buildings shall be moved on the premises and no mobile home shall be allowed as a residence for more than six weeks at a time.” It’s important to note that while most of these stipulations will likely conform to how the average buyer would develop the land anyway, it’s questionable that anyone is aware of these deed restrictions or is willing to litigate to enforce them.

Title Insurance: New Mexico title companies will not insure a property that has sold at tax auction until seven years have elapsed from the time of that sale. Regrettably the chain-of-title history on the subject property includes a tax auction sale within the last five years. Because of this, Hemingway Land was not able to obtain title insurance, and anyone purchasing the property from us will also not be able to obtain title insurance until May 2027. 

Conveyance Document: Because of the above-mentioned circumstance, anyone purchasing this property for cash (meaning paying for it all at once) cannot utilize a title company and thus will need to pay us directly. For this we are only willing to convey the property via a Special Warranty Deed. If that same buyer elects to purchase title insurance at a later date, however, Hemingway Land will be glad to cooperate with the title company as well as sign an updated Warranty Deed.

Anyone purchasing this property on Terms (meaning paying for it slowly with a down payment plus subsequent monthly payments) will be provided with a Land Contract and will need to pay our Company directly until such a time as title can be insured.

At that later date, Hemingway Land will reach out to the Buyer about changing the substance (though not the terms) of the agreement so that the Buyer can receive Title Insurance as well as a Mortgage on the property and instead make continued monthly payments to the Escrow company. Please see the video at the top of this page for further discussion of this topic.

The Hemingway Land Company does our best to represent the properties we list as accurately as possible. Our research, however, will always be limited. 

Because of this, included in the table to the right is a list of the relevant state and county governments, agencies and authorities as well as local utilities (and all their respective websites and contact information) which should help to answer any questions a buyer may have about developing this specific property.

Whenever possible it is best to speak with these agencies first as they will always be a far greater source of information about the local region and the regulations which govern it.  

Cibola National Forest: The subject parcel backs up to thousands of acres of private land in the form of the Cibola National Forest. This makes the property ideal for hunters looking to take advantage of the elk, mule deer, wild turkey and other species that make this area one of the premier hunting destinations in the state.

Cebolla Creek: It should be noted that a small stream most mapping apps identify as the Cebolla Creek runs north to south through this region and crisscrosses the neighboring property to the west. In addition, a second smaller stream seems to flow east to west along the southern boundary of the subject property feeding into this Creek. There is also a waterfall located about a mile north of the land which seems to supply some portion of this water. Because of all these factors, it seems reasonable to assume that accessing a source of year ‘round water supply or drilling for water may not be as costly as it is in other places. For more information on the Cebolla Creek please watch the video posted at the top of this listing page.

Cebolla Creek, Cont’d: While our photographer claims the waterflow through the Creek was not significant at the time he was there, he did indicate that anyone developing the land may need to install a small bridge and/or culvert to more conveniently cross from the road to the subject property, particularly if they are developing the land with a permanent home site or long-term living in mind.

Ramah Lake: Flanked by sandstone cliffs, this hundred-acre body of water sits just south of the subject property and will offer plenty of hours of boating, fishing, kayaking, canoeing and general relaxation. In addition, it is an excellent area to hike, camp and enjoy picnics at.

Topography: The subject property features a diverse topography from flat cut-out areas perfect for parking, camping and building to forested areas, hillsides and rock outcroppings perfect for hunting and exploring. Additionally, because of its size, there is a gradual change in elevation from 7,000 feet at its lowest point along the northwest section of the land to 7,200 feet at its highest point along the eastern boundary.

Fencing: The neighboring property to the west features fencing, including along its eastern boundary or rather, the western boundary of the subject property. Because of this, anyone purchasing the property will have the benefit of certain borders being pre-established.

Firearms: As there are no covenants or restrictions on file with the County, that makes this one of the few pieces of residential property we’ve ever listed that does not – in its title history – have some document specifically restricting the use of firearms on the land. A notable benefit to anyone looking to use the property for hunting and recreation.

While small towns such as Ramah and Fence Lake sit within relatively close proximity of the subject property and will provide easy access to gas, convenience and some supply stores, the larger towns of Grants and Gallup (both roughly an hour away) will be your nearest source for most everyday supplies.

Grocery stores and Walmart Supercenters can be found in both towns, along with fast food chains and sit-down restaurants. While building supply stores can also be found in both, Home Depot only has a presence in Gallup. Each town boasts a Municipal Airport as well as medical facilities such as the Cibola General Hospital in Grants and the Rehoboth McKinley Christian Healthcare Center in Gallup.

It is only Gallup, however, which features recreational gambling such as the Fire Rock Casino.

In addition to the Cibola National Forest, there are a number of scenic National and State Parks within easy driving distance of the subject property. Those parks include - but are not limited to - the El Malpais National Monument, El Morro National Monument, Bluewater Lake State Park, Ramah Reservoir, the Ice Caves & Bandera Volcano and Quemado Lake.