Latir Peak Wilderness
This remote area has deep forest cover interrupted only by pleasant meadows and alpine tundra on the northern portion's Latir Mesa. With three peaks exceeding 12,500 feet in elevation, including a portion of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, this Wilderness showcases the very finest of New Mexico's high country. An abundance of southern Rocky Mountain wildlife takes advantage of the region's riches, including mule deer, black bears, badgers, beavers, bobcats, coyotes, ferrets, foxes, mountain lions, marmots, martens, and muskrats. Heart Lake, named for its romantic shape, is the source of Cabresto Creek. The Lake Fork Trail is the most popular of the main trails.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 20,420 acres |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.78° N, 105.50° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 14) |
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.
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 5 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.
Trails
7 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 28 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Bull Creek ↗ | 6 | |
| Pinabete Peak Trail ↗ | 5.8 | |
| Midnight ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Rito del Medio ↗ | 5.4 | |
| Lake Fork ↗ | 4.6 | |
| Cabresto Peak | 0.5 | |
| Heart Lake | 0.5 |
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
- PrescribedMartinez Fall Rx
29 mi from the center point
- PrescribedWillow Irtc Piles Fall Rx
37 mi from the center point · 411 acres
- PrescribedRito Hondo Piles Rx
42 mi from the center point · 60 acres
- PrescribedMogote Campground Piles Rx
45 mi from the center point · 72 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
- 3 miMallette, Orin, Cabin ↗Red River, NM
- 3.2 miPierce-Fuller House ↗Red River, NM
- 3.9 miMallette, Sylvester M., Cabin ↗Red River, NM
- 3.9 miRed River Schoolhouse ↗Red River, NM
- 3.9 miYoung, Brigham J., House ↗Red River, NM
- 5.3 miMelson-Oldham Cabin ↗Red River, NM
- 8.8 miBlack Copper Mine and Stamp Mill ↗Red River, NM
- 13.8 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
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 Latir Peak Wilderness?
20,420 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Latir Peak Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Latir Peak Wilderness in?
New Mexico.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Latir Peak Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Latir Peak 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 Latir Peak Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.777° N, 105.502° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Latir Peak Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Martinez Fall Rx at 29 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Latir Peak Wilderness?
The National Register has 8 listings within 15 miles, including Mallette, Orin, Cabin and Pierce-Fuller 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.
- 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.