Birders should be mindful that torrential rains, particularly during the July and August monsoon season, can quickly flood the area's narrow canyons. This has been exacerbated directly west of Mount Withington by the Bear Trap Fire of May 2022.

Owing to winter road and campground closures, almost all records for the northern San Mateos are during the 5 months of May through September. Species frequently found here include Common Nighthawk, Common Poorwill, Mexican Whip-poor-will, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Flammulated Owl, Northern Pygmy Owl, Plumbeous Vireo, Clark’s Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, both Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, Grace’s Warbler, and Red-faced Warbler. American Goshawk has been listed in the San Mateos on multiple occasions  

eBird listers will play an important role in documenting species frequency and abundance changes since the Bear Trap Fire of May 2022.

At 10,100 feet above sea level, Mount Withington is one of the highest peaks in the San Mateo Mountains.  For this reason, a fire lookout (built in 1952) is maintained there. Mount Withington is located near the center of the western boundary of the 18,827-acre Withington Wilderness, in the Magdalena Ranger District of Cibola National Forest. Vegetation on the eastern slopes of the northern San Mateos comprising the wilderness area is dominated by pine, spruce, and fir. 

FR-138, which approaches the summit, is unpaved and rough, requiring a 4-wheel drive vehicle. The road is typically closed from October 1 to May 15.

Cibola National Forest covers more than 1.6 million acres and includes mountains, grasslands, wilderness, and forests. The name Cibola comes from the Zuni word for their tribal lands, which the Spanish later translated as "buffalo". The forest is home black bears, cougars, elk, and pronghorn. Cibola National Forest offers many recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, and skiing. It also has cultural and historical significance, as it contains ancient Native American sites and historic trails.

The National Forest has four ranger districts: Sandia, Mountainair, Magdalena, and Mount Taylor. In addition, the Cibola has four wilderness areas: Sandia Mountain, Manzano Mountain, Withington, and Apache Kid.

Forest Service trails #38 (Potato Canyon) and #64 (Chimney Trail) share a trailhead off FR-138.