Presilla Wilderness Study Area

About Presilla Wilderness Study Area

The Presilla WSA is located in central New Mexico, approximately 10 miles east of Socorro. The landform consists of a mesa cut by large arroyos, rugged limestone, sandstone hills, and scattered coppice dunes. Vegetation consists of desert shrubs. The WSA is home to many wildlife species, including Red-tailed and Cooper's hawks, prairie falcons, doves, quail, songbirds, mule deer, gray and kit fox, rock squirrels, jackrabbits, and several reptilian species.

How to Get There

To reach the northeastern border of the WSA, take the Escondida exit (#152) from I-25 (approximately three miles north of Socorro and 23 miles south of Bernardo & Hwy 60 E). Drive east and then immediately north to follow NM 408 for just over one mile to Pueblito Road. Turn right on Pueblito Road and drive east for less than one mile to the community of Pueblito; passing Escondida Lake and crossing the Rio Grande. At Pueblito, turn right onto Bosquecito Rd which parallels the Rio Grande, and drive just under 1 mile, and turn left onto a dirt road that goes east. This is the Quebradas Backcountry Byway, which is marked by signs. Follow this road, passing unmaintained, intersecting roads along the way for approximately 7.5 miles. From this point, the WSA will be on your right for approximately 3 ѕ miles.

Plan Your Visit to Presilla Wilderness Study Area

Heading to Presilla 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)