Blue Creek Wilderness Study Area

About Blue Creek Wilderness Study Area

The Blue Creek WSA is located in the southwestern portion of New Mexico and is dominated by a volcanic fault block mountain named Black Mountain. The intermittent Blue Creek passes through the eastern part of the WSA and the narrow cliff-walled canyon is dominated by ash, cottonwood, Arizona sycamore, and willow. The uplands are dominated by desert grasses and shrubs.

How to Get There

From Lordsburg, NM, drive north then northwest on US Hwy 70 for approximately 25 miles. Turn right on NM 92 and drive approximately 6 miles, crossing the Gila River on the way, to Mud Springs Ranch Rd (A039), approximately one mile east of Virden, NM. Passing unmarked intersecting roads, drive for approximately 5.5 miles on A039 to a 4WD road on the right. Drive south approximately 1/4 mile; the WSA is on the left side of this road for approximately 1 1/4 miles before entering private land.

Plan Your Visit to Blue Creek Wilderness Study Area

Heading to Blue Creek Wilderness Study Area? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)