Cruces Basin Wilderness
Cruces Basin Wilderness, located just south of the Colorado line, contains some of New Mexico's most pristine country. Cruces Basin Wilderness contains great opportunities for solitude. A mountain plateau...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
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| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 18,881 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.9325, -106.3054 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 3 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- WildfireMogote Ridge
30 mi from the center point · 152 acres · 90% contained
- WildfireSwiss Roll
41 mi from the center point · 775 acres · 0% contained
- PrescribedWolf Creek Rx
46 mi from the center point · 1 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
- 12 miFoster Hotel ↗Chama, NM
- 14.8 miSanchez, Samuel, House ↗Los Brazos, NM
- 14.9 miSanchez, Samuel, Barns ↗Los Brazos, NM
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Cruces Basin Wilderness?
18,881 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Cruces Basin Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Cruces Basin Wilderness in?
New Mexico.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Cruces Basin Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Cruces Basin Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Aspen Glade, 6.4 miles out. 3 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Cruces Basin Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.932, -106.305. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Cruces Basin Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Mogote Ridge at 30 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Cruces Basin Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 16 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Cruces Basin Wilderness?
3 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Foster Hotel and Sanchez, Samuel, 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.