Mexican Mountain Wilderness
The Mexican Mountain Wilderness is characterized by features resulting from erosion of the multi-colored sedimentary rocks of the eastern San Rafael Swell. Brightly colored cliffs, buttes, ridges, alcoves, and pinnacles dominate the landscape with elevations ranging from 4,700 feet in the southeast to 6,900 feet on Mexican Mountain. Roughly half the area is barren rock with pinyon-juniper woodlands, brush, and grass covering the remaining land. This vegetation along with riparian growth provides for diverse habitat making the Wilderness home to bighorn sheep, cougars, raptors, and several reptile species. Two endangered plant species, the Maguire daisy and Wright fishhook cactus, grow here.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 76,413 acres |
| Designated | 2019, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.03° N, 110.53° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 29) |
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 4 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.
Fire nearby
- WildfireSlough Canyon
40 mi from the center point · 4,774 acres · 95% contained
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
- 0.4 miSan Rafael Bridge ↗Castle Dale, UT
- 3 miDenver and Rio Grande Lime Kiln ↗Cleveland, UT
- 12.1 miGreen River Presbyterian Church ↗Green River, UT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Utah
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 Mexican Mountain Wilderness?
76,413 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Mexican Mountain Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Mexican Mountain Wilderness in?
Utah.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Mexican Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2019.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Mexican Mountain 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 Mexican Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.027° N, 110.532° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Mexican Mountain Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Slough Canyon at 40 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Mexican Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including San Rafael Bridge and Denver and Rio Grande Lime Kiln.
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.