BLM · Wilderness area · New Mexico

Aden Lava Flow Wilderness

The Aden Lava Flow Wilderness is located 20 miles southwest of Las Cruces in the Chihuahuan Desert. The area is characterized by basalt flows, volcanic craters, and coppice sand dunes. The lava flow includes...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Aden Lava Flow Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byBureau of Land Management
StateNew Mexico
Size27,673 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated2019, by Congress
Center point32.0457, -106.9919
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 29)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Prescribed
    Rx Ice Canyon Piles 2

    31 mi from the center point · 10 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 2 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Aden Lava Flow Wilderness?

27,673 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Aden Lava Flow Wilderness?

The Bureau of Land Management.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Aden Lava Flow Wilderness in?

New Mexico.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Aden Lava Flow Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 2019.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Aden Lava Flow Wilderness?

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Aden Lava Flow Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 32.046, -106.992. Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail is 17 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Aden Lava Flow Wilderness right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Rx Ice Canyon Piles 2 at 31 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Aden Lava Flow Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 29 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Aden Lava Flow Wilderness?

Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail (17 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Aden Lava Flow Wilderness?

2 National Register listings within 15 miles, including San Jose Church and Jones, Frank and Amelia, House.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.