BLM · Wilderness area · New Mexico

Mount Riley Wilderness

The Mount Riley Wilderness contains three shield volcanos which rise prominently in the landscape. Mount Riley is the highest point in the region, rising abruptly over 1,700 feet above the surrounding...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Mount Riley Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byBureau of Land Management
StateNew Mexico
Size8,382 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated2019, by Congress
Center point31.9172, -107.0738
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 30)

Boundary map

1 outline

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.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

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.

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-09-17
  • Prescribed
    Rx Ice Canyon Piles 2

    40 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

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Mount Riley Wilderness?

8,382 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Mount Riley Wilderness?

The Bureau of Land Management.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Mount Riley Wilderness in?

New Mexico.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Mount Riley Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 2019.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Mount Riley Wilderness?

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Mount Riley Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 31.917, -107.074. Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail is 27 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Mount Riley Wilderness right now?

1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Rx Ice Canyon Piles 2 at 40 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

How dark is the night sky at Mount Riley Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 30 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Mount Riley 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.