Pecos Wilderness
Deep and narrow canyons, long and broad mesa tops, heavily forested slopes, and rugged ridges with peaks above timberline characterize the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Pecos Wilderness. This small mountain chain comprises the extreme southern extent of the Rocky Mountains, North America's longest mountain chain, which extends north all the way into Canada. On the western side steep canyons drain toward the Rio Grande. In contrast, to the east lies the relatively gentle upper Pecos River Valley, an area of broad flat mesas and grassy meadows. The high country elevations range from 8,400 feet to 13,103 feet atop South Truchas Peak, the state's second highest point.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 221,796 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.89° N, 105.64° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
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 16 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
4 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 fishing. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 7 miTrampas Lakes Fishing ↗Fishing
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
76 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 486 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Sky Line ↗ | 63.4 | |
| Winsor ↗ | 24.7 | |
| Borrego ↗ | 20.6 | |
| Beattys ↗ | 13.4 | |
| Middle Fork Santa Barbara ↗ | 13.1 | |
| Beaver Creek ↗ | 13 | |
| Hamilton Mesa ↗ | 11.6 | |
| Las Trampas ↗ | 11.6 | |
| Sierra Mosca ↗ | 10.9 | |
| Rio Medio ↗ | 10.4 |
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
- PrescribedStone Angel Fall Rx
48 mi from the center point
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
- 6.6 miNational Park Service Southwest Regional Office ↗National Historic Landmark
- 6.9 miPalace of the Governors ↗National Historic Landmark
- 6.9 miSanta Fe Plaza ↗National Historic Landmark
- 8.2 miLas Trampas Historic District ↗National Historic Landmark
- 12.3 miPecos National Monument ↗National Historic Landmark
- 2 miPecos River Bridge at Terrero ↗Terrero, NM
- 2.7 miSan Antonio de Padua del Quemado Chapel ↗Cordova, NM
- 3.8 miPendaries Grist Mill ↗Rociada, NM
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for 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 Pecos Wilderness?
221,796 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Pecos Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Pecos Wilderness in?
New Mexico.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Pecos Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Pecos 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 Pecos Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.895° N, 105.645° W. Pecos National Historical Park is 13 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Pecos Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Stone Angel Fall Rx at 48 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Pecos Wilderness?
Pecos National Historical Park (13 mi), Fort Union National Monument (23 mi) and Manhattan Project National Historical Park (24 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Pecos Wilderness?
The National Register has 148 listings within 15 miles, including National Park Service Southwest Regional Office and Palace of the Governors.
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.