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...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 221,796 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.8947, -105.6446 |
| 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.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 19 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
7 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.
Fire nearby
- WildfireFrijoles
11 mi from the center point · 15,956 acres · 74% contained
- WildfireEnchantment
31 mi from the center point · 20 acres
- WildfireZero
35 mi from the center point · 12 acres
- WildfireSan Augustine
40 mi from the center point · 16 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
- 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.
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?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Jacks Creek Group Area, 0 miles out. 19 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
Where are the trailheads in Pecos Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 lake and pond fishing. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Pecos Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.895, -105.645. 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?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Frijoles at 11 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Pecos Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 11 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
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
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.