Manzano Mountain Wilderness
Don't let this area deceive you. It looks devoid of scenery from a distance, but is full of surprises as you explore the trails. The same held true in the early 1700s, when explorers visiting a small village...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | New Mexico |
| Size | 36,764 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1978, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.6857, -106.4436 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 17) |
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.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 2 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 3 trailheads. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 2 miComanche Trailhead ↗Trailhead · Open year round
- 2 miManzano Crest South Trailhead ↗Trailhead · April to November
- 4 miTrail Canyon Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
20 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 79 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Manzano Crest ↗ | 22.1 | |
| Salas ↗ | 7.8 | |
| Comanche Canyon ↗ | 7 | |
| Pine Shadow ↗ | 5 | |
| Ox Canyon | 3.8 | |
| Albuquerque | 3.7 | |
| Spruce Spring | 3.6 | |
| Ojito | 3.4 | |
| Osha | 3.2 | |
| Kayser Mill | 2.5 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireWhiskey
1 mi from the center point · 542 acres · 48% contained
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
- 9.3 miAbo ↗National Historic Landmark
- 11.3 miMountainair Municipal Auditorium ↗Mountainair, NM
- 11.4 miShaffer Hotel ↗Mountainair, NM
- 11.5 miWillard Mercantile Company ↗Mountainair, NM
- 11.9 miRancho Bonito ↗Mountainair, NM
- 13.8 miBaca, Miguel E., House ↗Adelino, NM
- 14.7 miHarvey, Belen, House ↗Belen, NM
- 14.7 miTome Jail ↗Tome, NM
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Manzano Mountain Wilderness?
36,764 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Manzano Mountain Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Manzano Mountain Wilderness in?
New Mexico.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Manzano Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1978.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Manzano Mountain Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Capilla Peak, 0.1 miles out. 2 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 Manzano Mountain Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites here, including 3 trailheads. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Manzano Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.686, -106.444. Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is 20 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Manzano Mountain Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Whiskey at 1 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Manzano Mountain Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 17 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 Manzano Mountain Wilderness?
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument (20 mi) and Petroglyph National Monument (29 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.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- 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.