East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness
Chihuahuan Desert grassland and yucca, in association with a mosaic of other desert shrubs such as creosote, acacia, and mesquite, make up the majority of the plant cover in the area. Occasional juniper trees are also found on mountain slopes and in larger drainages. The limestone substrate provides habitat for a wide diversity of cacti, and sandy areas likely contain populations of the State-endangered sand prickley pear, Opuntia arenaria, a special status species. Summer monsoon rains bring extensive stands of wildflowers in this area including white and yellow desert zinnias, desert marigolds, blackfoot daisies, globe mallow, pepperweed, desert sunflowers, Chihuahuan flax, and summer poppy.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 12,155 acres |
| Designated | 2019, by Congress |
| Center point | 31.89° N, 107.03° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 31) |
Boundary map
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.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
Guidebooks for New Mexico
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness?
12,155 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness in?
New Mexico.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2019.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 31.886° N, 107.025° W. Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail is 27 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness?
Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail (27 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
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.