Cruces Basin Wilderness, Protected wilderness area in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.
The Cruces Basin Wilderness extends across 18,876 acres of natural terrain, featuring alpine lakes, meadows, and peaks with elevations from 8,525 to 10,900 feet.
The United States Congress designated this area as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System through Public Law 95-550 on December 19, 1980.
The land holds significance as traditional hunting and gathering grounds for Indigenous peoples who utilized its natural resources through generations.
Multiple marked trails, including Deer Creek Trail and El Rito Trail, provide access points to the wilderness area through different difficulty levels.
A forest fire in 1979 transformed the landscape by clearing old-growth forest, creating space for current aspen forests and high elevation meadows.
Location: Rio Arriba County
GPS coordinates: 36.93263,-106.30511
Latest update: April 8, 2025 04:29
Ghost Ranch
68.8 km
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
25 km
Rio Grande Scenic Railroad
71.1 km
Monastery of Christ in the Desert
70.2 km
Rio Grande del Norte National Monument
61.5 km
Cumbres Pass
16.2 km
San Antonio Mountain
26.7 km
D&RGW 463
24.5 km
John Dunn Bridge
69.2 km
Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge
64.1 km
Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge
70.8 km
Conejos Peak
46.1 km
Wild Rivers Recreation Area
63 km
Bennett Peak
62.4 km
Pike's Stockade
59.6 km
D&RGW 169
71.5 km
San Luis Hills
56.4 km
Terrace Reservoir
47.9 km
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
71.3 km
American National Bank Building
71.3 km
Fort Lowell
32.4 km
Samuel Sanchez House
29.3 km
Palace Hotel
30.9 km
Alamosa County Courthouse
71.2 km
Husung Hardware
71.2 km
Gilbert Martinez Barn
33.9 km
Sanchez-March House
31.9 km
Echo amphitheatre
66.8 kmReviews
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