Most visitors to this hotspot will conduct roadside birding while driving the 2.8 miles of US-64, which passes through the northern part of the community. Note that this road can get amazingly busy on summer weekends. Although both the Cimarron River and Ute Creek cross US-64, there are few locations for drivers to pull off for wildlife observation. At the east end of Ute Park, you may drive into the state forestry compound, while at the west end, you can stop at the bait and tackle shop. Both these locations offer an opportunity to get out of your vehicle and walk around. More adventurous birders may explore Ute Park’s unpaved roads, which are all named after birds. Woodpecker and Hummingbird Lanes are off US-64 directly east of the bait and tackle shop. Hummingbird Lane runs east from there just south of the Cimarron River. After about a mile, you might turn south and circle back west to your starting point via Magpie and Woodpecker Lanes. 

Ute Park is a small and scenic community located on US-64, between the towns of Cimarron and Eagle Nest. Ute Park is named after the Ute people, who once inhabited the area and resisted the encroachment of white settlers. Ute Park was also part of the Maxwell Land Grant, a large tract of land that was the subject of legal disputes and violence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, Ute Park is a peaceful gateway to Cimarron Canyon State Park and Collin Neblett Wildlife Management Area.