BLM · Arizona

Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness

Ragged and rugged, the Peloncillo Mountains stretch north from Mexico to the Gila River and New Mexico is just across the border from this wilderness. The historic Butter-field Stage Route forms the southern...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byBureau of Land Management
StateArizona
Size19,440 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1990, by Congress
Center point32.3747, -109.0946
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 26)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees

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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness40°50°60°70°80°90°January: 0.92 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowFebruary: 0.79 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowMarch: 0.48 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowApril: 0.24 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 0.12 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.44 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 2.19 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.92 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.90 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 0.76 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 0.55 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowDecember: 1.00 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 44.2°F averageFebruary: 48.4°F averageMarch: 54.6°F averageApril: 61.2°F averageMay: 69.6°F averageJune: 78.7°F averageJuly: 82.0°F averageAugust: 80.3°F averageSeptember: 75.1°F averageOctober: 64.2°F averageNovember: 52.2°F averageDecember: 44.0°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 in2.5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at San Simon, 10 miles from the center point at 3,580 feet, station USC00027560 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 10 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 1 inches a year on the same inches scale. The station sits about 1,600 feet lower than the center point, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

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

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.

Explore

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness?

19,440 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness?

The Bureau of Land Management.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness in?

Arizona.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1990.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness?

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 32.375, -109.095. Fort Bowie National Historic Site is 22 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 26 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Peloncillo Mountains Wilderness?

Fort Bowie National Historic Site (22 mi) and Chiricahua National Monument (24 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.
  • 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.