About Pe�a Blanca Wilderness Study Area
The Peña Blanca Wilderness Study Area is located in the south-central portion of New Mexico on the eastern edge of Las Cruces. The Peña Blanca rock shelters are the site of the earliest known cultivated corn in the United States, a primitive variety with eight rows of kernels. Wilderness Study Areas (commonly known as WSAs) are places that have wilderness characteristics; that is a minimum size, naturalness, and outstanding opportunities for recreation which make them eligible for designation as wilderness. Per the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act which became law on March 12, 2019, this web page is currently being updated.
Things to do
When to go
Low confidence for this location; local conditions may differ.
Weather data & source
Each figure averages the highlighted months. 2018–2023 averages, not a forecast. Wet days estimate days with at least 1 mm of rain or snow using a calibrated ERA5 threshold. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (AWS Open Data, CC BY 4.0). ERA5 via Open-Meteo AWS Open Data
Plan your visit
Pe�a Blanca Wilderness Study Area is managed by Bureau of Land Management. Check current conditions, permits, and reservations before you go.
See it on Recreation.gov →