New Wilderness To Explore In New Mexico
Thirteen — that’s how many newly designated wilderness areas in New Mexico are now protected through the historic public lands package that was signed into law earlier this year.
These wild places belong to all of us and are worth protecting. As New Mexicans, we love our public lands, and I’m proud to be able to ensure the outdoor places we all treasure will be protected for future generations of Americans to enjoy.
Since the passage of the public lands package this year, I’ve featured photos and information about each new — or expanded — wilderness area that you can learn about and explore with your family and friends. With this guide of new wilderness areas in New Mexico, I look forward to you joining me in growing our thriving outdoor recreation economy and protecting America’s natural heritage for generations to come.
Mount Riley Wilderness Area
Mount Riley Wilderness Area in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument was established in the new #PublicLands law. It contains the highest volcanic cinder cone peaks in the rugged Potrillo Mountains, 30 miles southwest of Las Cruces. The views from the top of the 1,500 foot-tall summits are well worth the climb!
Organ Mountains Wilderness Area
The sheer vertical spires of the Organ Mountains dominate the vistas in the newly established Organ Mountains Wilderness Area. This wilderness is perfect for spotting diverse desert plants, like the ocotillos and poppies that are blooming right now, and the wildlife that make Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument so special.
📷Wayne Suggs
Aden Lava Flow Wilderness
The newly established Aden Lava Flow Wilderness in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument is rich with basalt flows, lava tubes, and volcanic craters. These unique geological features were created by the Aden Crater shield volcano’s eruption more than 10,000 years ago. Now is a great time of year to visit, as summer temperatures on the lava flow are higher than the surrounding desert.
📷 Wayne Suggs
Cerro del Yuta Wilderness
The 10,093-foot Ute Mountain is the iconic centerpiece of the new Cerro del Yuta Wilderness in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. The wilderness rewards you with incredible views of the Rio Grande Gorge, Taos Mesa, and the Sangre de Cristos. As you can see, this landscape is stunning in all seasons.
📸 Jim O’Donnell, Stuart Wilde
Broad Canyon
The Broad Canyon Wilderness Area’s winding canyons, volcanic hills, and mesas are home to a rich record of archaeological sites that reveal the long history of Native American residents in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks region.
📸 Wayne Suggs
Cinder Cone Wilderness Area
Cinder Cone Wilderness Area is in the remote southwestern corner of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in southern New Mexico. Numerous undisturbed cinder cone mountains tell the geological history of the region’s volcanic past and also provide scenic panoramic vistas.
📸 David Soules
Robledo Mountains Wilderness Area
The Robledo Mountains Wilderness in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument contains centuries of history. The mountains are named after Pedro Robledo, who died in the area during Oñate’s first expedition into New Mexico. Billy the Kid hid out in the Robledo Mountains’ canyons during the 19th century. The wilderness also contains a portion of Prehistoric Trackways National Monument, which has footprints from species dating back 280 million years.
📸 Wayne Suggs
East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness Area
The rocky mountains and remote Chihuahuan Desert scrublands and grasslands in the new East Potrillo Mountains Wilderness are home to some of the most rugged topography and expansive views within Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.
📸 David Soules
Sierra de las Uvas Wilderness Area
The scenic volcanic mountains and desert grasslands in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks’ new Sierra de las Uvas Wilderness support quail, deer, and javelina. And as you can see, the night sky offers incredible stargazing opportunities.
📸 Lisa Mandelkern
Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness Area
The colorfully eroded badlands of the newly established Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness Area in San Juan County will attract hikers looking to admire hoodoos, explore the sites of major dinosaur fossil discoveries, and camp under the stars.
Rio San Antonio Wilderness Area
The Rio San Antonio Wilderness Area lies below San Antonio Mountain north of Tres Piedras. One of two new wildernesses in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, it contains a portion of the beautiful Rio San Antonio and wide open, rolling grasslands that are ideal for spotting wildlife including elk, mule deer, pronghorn, black bears, mountain lions, wild turkey, bald eagles, and peregrine falcons.
📸 BLM
Whitethorn Wilderness Area
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument’s new Whitethorn Wilderness Area — located in the far eastern side of the Potrillo Mountains — is named for whitethorn acacia, a native shrub that can be seen growing in abundance. The plant provides sustenance to the quail and desert mule deer who call this landscape of weathered lava beds home.
Potrillo Mountains Wilderness Area
The Potrillo Mountains Wilderness in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks offers some of the most open stretches of Chihuahuan Desert landscapes. Visitors can explore extinct volcanoes, black lava fields, and desert grasslands with ten-feet-tall cholla cactus.
📸 BLM
Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area
This year’s historic Public Lands Package added more than 2,000 acres to the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness in northwestern New Mexico. Bisti, which derives from the Diné word for “badlands,” has become a popular destination for hikers and photographers seeking to capture some of the most otherworldly landscapes and rock formations on Earth.
