Gila Wilderness
On June 3, 1924, at Aldo Leopold's insistence, Gila became the world's first designated Wilderness area (and also New Mexico's largest Wilderness). Today, this is one of the best destinations for backpackers in America. An extensive trail system provides access to the Wilderness. High mesas, rolling hills, and deep canyons distinguish the eastern portions, as do pinion and juniper woodland and a few grassland areas. Ponderosa pines blanket the central portion, with sheer cliffs outlining the Gila River. The west and southwest portions boast high mountains, particularly the Mogollon Range, with elevations up to 10,895 feet and steep canyons carved from the drainages of Turkey Creek and Mogollon Creek.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 559,310 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 33.22° N, 108.39° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 18) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
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
None of the 13 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
1 more within ten miles is not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 13 miFlying V #706 Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
86 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 868 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Continental Divide ↗ | 247.4 | |
| Middle Fork ↗ | 41.4 | |
| West Fork ↗ | 34.4 | |
| Gila River ↗ | 32.6 | |
| Turkey Creek ↗ | 28.5 | |
| Lilley Park ↗ | 25.2 | |
| Granny Mountain ↗ | 20.4 | |
| Mogollon ↗ | 20.3 | |
| Whitewater ↗ | 16.8 | |
| Holt-Apache ↗ | 16.7 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx Sapillo Piles Fy27
22 mi from the center point · 20 acres
- PrescribedRx Rendezvous Fy27
23 mi from the center point · 34 acres
- PrescribedRx Terry Well Piles Fy27
23 mi from the center point · 10 acres
- PrescribedRx Lincoln Canyon Piles Fy27
24 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
- under 0.1 miMogollon Baldy Lookout Cabin ↗Mogollon Baldy Peak, NM
- under 0.1 miBlack Mountain Lookout Cabin ↗Black Mountain, NM
- 5.4 miBearwallow Mountain Lookout Cabins and Shed ↗Bearwallow Park, NM
- 7.3 miL. C. Ranch Headquarters ↗Gila, NM
- 9 miReeds Peak Lookout Tower ↗Reeds Peak, NM
- 12.4 miSibole, George, Store ↗Mimbres, NM
- 12.4 miHooks--Moore Store ↗Mimbres, NM
- 12.5 miMimbres School ↗Mimbres, NM
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Gila Wilderness and New Mexico
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Gila Wilderness?
559,310 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Gila Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Gila Wilderness in?
New Mexico.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Gila Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Gila Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Gila Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 33.222° N, 108.390° W. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is adjacent. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Gila Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx Sapillo Piles Fy27 at 22 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Gila Wilderness?
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (adjacent). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Gila Wilderness?
The National Register has 12 listings within 15 miles, including Mogollon Baldy Lookout Cabin and Black Mountain Lookout Cabin.
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.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- 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.