The Pecos Wilderness is a protected

wilderness area Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural) are Earth's natural environments that have not been significantly modified by human activity, or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally ...

within the

Santa Fe National Forest The Santa Fe National Forest is a protected national forest in northern New Mexico in the Southwestern United States. It was established in 1915 and covers . Elevations range from 5,300 feet (1600 m) to 13,103 feet (4000 m) at the su ...

and

Carson National Forest Carson National Forest is a United States National Forest, national forest in northern New Mexico, United States. It encompasses 6,070 square kilometers (1.5 million acres) and is administered by the United States Forest Service. The Forest Serv ...

. The Pecos Wilderness lies within the Camino Real Ranger District of the Carson National Forest, and the Pecos Ranger District and Espanola Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest. The Pecos Wilderness includes the southernmost extension of the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...

in the sub-range of the

Sangre de Cristo Mountains The Sangre de Cristo Mountains (Spanish language, Spanish for "Blood of Christ") are the southernmost mountain range, subrange of the Rocky Mountains. They are located in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico in the United States. The mountai ...

of north central

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

. One trail head for the wilderness is only 15 miles by road from Santa Fe, the state capital. Covering an area of (350 sq mi) it is the second largest wilderness in the state after the

Gila Wilderness Gila Wilderness was designated the world's first wilderness area on June 3, 1924. Along with Aldo Leopold Wilderness and Blue Range Wilderness, the 558,014 acre (225,820 ha) (872 sq. mi.) wilderness is part of New Mexico's Gila National Fores ...

. An area of fewer than was given wilderness protection by Congress in 1964. Congress protected an additional in 1980. The Wilderness boasts one of the highest concentrations of peaks exceeding in elevation in

, including Santa Fe Baldy, , the highest point in

Santa Fe County Santa Fe County (; meaning "County of the Holy faith" in Spanish) is a county located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, its population was 154,823, making it New Mexico's third-most populous county, after Bernalillo Count ...

, and South Truchas Peak, , the second highest peak in the state. U.S. Wilderness Areas do not allow motorized or mechanized vehicles, including

bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered transport, human-powered or motorized bicycle, motor-assisted, bicycle pedal, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two bicycle wheel, wheels attached to a ...

Camping Camping is a form of outdoor recreation or outdoor education involving overnight stays with a basic temporary shelter such as a tent. Camping can also include a recreational vehicle, sheltered cabins, a permanent tent, a shelter such as a Bivy bag ...

and

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

are allowed with proper permit, but no roads, buildings,

logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidder, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or trunk (botany), logs onto logging truck, trucksmining Mining is the Resource extraction, extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agriculture, agricultural processes, or feasib ...

are permitted. Wilderness areas within

National Forests National Forest may refer to: * National forest or state forest, a forest administered or protected by a sovereign state ** National forest (Brazil) ** National forest (France) ** National forest (United States) ** State Forests (Poland) ** The N ...

and

Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands, U.S. federal lands. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the BLM oversees more than of land, or one ...

areas allow

hunting Hunting is the Human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products (fur/hide (sk ...

in season.

History

Little archaeological or historical research has been conducted within the Pecos Wilderness. However, researchers have found artifacts dating back to the Paleo-Indian Period (7,000–6,000 BC). Most artifacts found date back to the late Archaic period (900 BC–400 AD). These items have been dated back to late pueblo and Anasazi times. Ultimately, none of the sites surveyed display proof of long-term occupation. It is thought that use by indigenous people was seasonal and temporary. Groups would hunt and gather in the mountains during the summer months and return to lower elevations in the winter. The first known occupation of the Pecos Wilderness began in 1598 with the colonization by Spain. During the next 200 years, they would push into the fertile lands that flanked the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range. New Mexico was annexed to the United States following the Mexican war of 1846. In 1875 mineral prospecting began. George Beatty was an early pioneer who built a cabin at the junction of the Pecos River and the Rito del Padre. Beatty flats are named after him.

Climate

Wesner Springs is a

SNOTEL 300px, Data from a SNOTEL site in Elko County, Nevada SNOTEL is an automated system of snowpack and related climate sensors operated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the United States Department of Agriculture in the Weste ...

weather station in the Pecos Wilderness, located near the summit of Elk Mountain (New Mexico). Wesner Springs has a

subalpine climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''Dfc'').

Environment

File:Looking South from Hermit's Peak, Pecos Wilderness, Santa Fe National Forest.jpg, Looking South from Hermit Peak, Pecos Wilderness, Santa Fe National Forest File:Looking north across Nambe Lake in May, 2018.jpg, Looking north across Nambe Lake at an elevation of 11,402 feet File:Rainbow trout in hand.JPG, Rainbow trout: A common fish found in the lakes and streams of the Pecos Wilderness, alt=A common fish found in the lakes and streams of the Pecos Wilderness File:Truchas peak winter.jpg, Truchas Peaks from Espanola in winter. The peaks are the highest mountains in the Pecos Wilderness. File:Looking towards the sunset in a meadow on the west side of Round Mountain in the Pecos Wilderness via the Jack's Creek Trail.jpg, Looking towards the sunset in a meadow on the west side of Round Mountain in the Pecos Wilderness via the Jack's Creek Trail The high altitude of the Pecos provides a cool change from the lower deserts and brushlands. Temperatures vary with season and elevation. Summer daytime temperatures average , dropping to lows of at nighttime. Fall and springtime highs range from the 50s to lows in the teens. Winter temperatures below are not uncommon. May and June are usually dry months, and July and August typically come with showers and thunderstorms. Annual precipitation is from 35 to 40 inches. About half comes during summer and half in winter. The Pecos Wilderness is made up of 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 occupies the extreme southern extent of the Rocky Mountains. Fifteen lakes across the Pecos offer fishing and fly fishing to locals, tourists, and natives. The Pecos has around of streams holding

rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributary, tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in North America and Asia. The steelhead (sometimes called steelhead trout) is an Fish migration#Classification, ...

brown trout The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a species of salmonid ray-finned fish and the most widely distributed species of the genus ''Salmo'', endemic to most of Europe, West Asia and parts of North Africa, and has been widely introduced globally ...

, and

cutthroat trout The cutthroat trout (''Oncorhynchus clarkii'' clade) is a clade of four fish species of the Family (biology), family Salmonidae native to cold-water Tributary, tributaries of the Pacific Ocean, Rocky Mountains, and Great Basin in North America. ...

. The scenery ranges from 100-foot waterfalls and crumbled talus slopes to dramatic cliff rocks, towering peaks, and wildflower meadows.

Topography

The Pecos Wilderness is a heavily forested, high-elevation and rugged mountain land, ranging from 8,400 feet to over 13,000 feet. Truchas Peak, at 13,103 feet, is the second highest point in New Mexico. River valleys and streams are separated by long, broad mesas. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains run northeast to southwest across the wilderness, separating broad mesas to the east from rugged canyons and ridges to the west.

Wildlife

The forest of the wilderness consists of

Engelmann spruce ''Picea engelmannii'', with the common names Engelmann spruce, white spruce, mountain spruce, and silver spruce, is a species of spruce native to western North America. It is highly prized for producing distinctive tone wood for acoustic guitars ...

, corkbark fir,

ponderosa pine ''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine, is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is t ...

Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is the tallest tree in the Pinaceae family. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Or ...

white fir ''Abies concolor'', the white fir, concolor fir, or Colorado fir, is a coniferous tree in the pine family Pinaceae. This tree is native to the mountains of western North America, including the Sierra Nevada and southern Rocky Mountains, and int ...

limber pine ''Pinus flexilis'', the limber pine, is a species of pine tree in the family Pinaceae that occurs in the mountains of the Western United States, Mexico, and Canada. It is also called Rocky Mountain white pine. A limber pine in Eagle Cap Wilder ...

bristlecone pine The term bristlecone pine covers three species of pine tree (family Pinaceae, genus ''Pinus'', subsection ''Balfourianae''). All three species are long-lived and highly resilient to harsh weather and bad soils. One of the three species, ''Pinus ...

, and

aspen Aspen is a common name for certain tree species in the Populus sect. Populus, of the ''Populus'' (poplar) genus. Species These species are called aspens: * ''Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (China, south of ''P. tremula'') * ''Populus da ...

trees. In addition to the various types of trees, the Pecos has a diverse wildlife.

Elk The elk (: ''elk'' or ''elks''; ''Cervus canadensis'') or wapiti, is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. ...

deer A deer (: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) ...

coyote The coyote (''Canis latrans''), also known as the American jackal, prairie wolf, or brush wolf, is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the Wolf, gray wolf, and slightly smaller than the c ...

bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family (biology), family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats ...

turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

squirrel Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae (), a family that includes small or medium-sized rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrel ...

beaver Beavers (genus ''Castor'') are large, semiaquatic rodents of the Northern Hemisphere. There are two existing species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers are the second-large ...

s, and a herd of

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep ''Rocky'' is a 1976 American independent sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise and also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl We ...

, are found in the Pecos region. Furthermore, there is a bird population made up of white-tailed ptarmigan,

blue grouse The genus ''Dendragapus'' contains two closely related species of grouse that have often been treated as a single variable taxon (blue grouse). The two species are the dusky grouse (''Dendragapus obscurus'') and the sooty grouse (''Dendragapus f ...

Steller's jay Steller's jay (''Cyanocitta stelleri'') is a bird native to western North America and the mountains of Central America, closely related to the blue jay (''C. cristata'') found in eastern North America. It is the only crest (feathers), crested jay ...

raven A raven is any of several large-bodied passerine bird species in the genus '' Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between crows and ravens; the two names are assigne ...

, raptors and a variety of different species of

hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the Family (biology), biological family Trochilidae. With approximately 366 species and 113 genus, genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but most species are found in Cen ...

s and

woodpecker Woodpeckers are part of the bird family (biology), family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar and the extreme ...

Reference list

External links

Forest service page about Pecos Wilderness
{{authority control Wilderness areas of New Mexico Protected areas of Mora County, New Mexico Protected areas of Rio Arriba County, New Mexico Protected areas of San Miguel County, New Mexico Protected areas of Santa Fe County, New Mexico Protected areas of Taos County, New Mexico National forests of the Rocky Mountains IUCN Category Ib Carson National Forest Santa Fe National Forest Sangre de Cristo Mountains Pecos River Protected areas established in 1980 1980 establishments in New Mexico