Organ Mountains Wilderness
The Organ Mountains Wilderness provides the backdrop to the Mesilla Valley and New Mexico’s second largest city: Las Cruces. The Wilderness includes the Baylor Pass National Recreation Trail. From picnickers to horsemen, family outings to day hikes, these mountains offer recreation, important wildlife habitat, and watershed protection. The striking granite crags and spires of the Organ Mountains range from 4,600 to just over 9,000 feet, and are so named because of the steep, needle-like spires that resemble the pipes of an organ. Seasonal springs and streams occur in canyon bottoms, with a few perennial springs that support riparian habitats.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 19,916 acres |
| Designated | 2019, by Congress |
| Center point | 32.34° N, 106.58° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 24) |
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.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 8.4 miLaunch Complex 33 ↗National Historic Landmark
- 11.2 miMesilla Plaza ↗National Historic Landmark
- 0.5 miBentley, L.b., General Merchandise ↗Organ, NM
- 6.4 miGreen Bridge ↗Las Cruces, NM
- 6.9 mi
- 7.4 miJones, Frank and Amelia, House ↗La Mesa, NM
- 8 miSan Jose Church ↗La Mesa, NM
- 8.2 miFoster Hall ↗Las Cruces, NM
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 Organ Mountains Wilderness?
19,916 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Organ Mountains Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Organ Mountains Wilderness in?
New Mexico.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Organ Mountains Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2019.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Organ Mountains 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 Organ Mountains Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 32.340° N, 106.582° W. Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail is 11 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Organ Mountains Wilderness?
Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail (11 mi) and White Sands National Park (28 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Organ Mountains Wilderness?
The National Register has 20 listings within 15 miles, including Launch Complex 33 and Mesilla Plaza.
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.