Cruces Basin Wilderness is a

wilderness area Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...

located within the Carson National Forest in

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

just south of the

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...

border. The area was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System on December 19, 1980 by Public Law 95-550. The Wilderness is approximately in length from north to south and in width from east to west. It consists of the drainage basins of three small creeks, Cruces, Beaver, and Diablo-Escondido, which join each other and flow into the Rio de los Pinos, a tributary of the Rio Grande, at the northern edge of the wilderness. The western edge of the wilderness is near the

Continental Divide Trail The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (in short Continental Divide Trail (CDT)) is a United States National Scenic Trail with a length measured by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition of between the U.S. border with Chihuahua, Mexico ...

. With elevations ranging from , the wilderness basin contains forest, meadows, and rock features.

Flora and fauna

The area consists of spruce-fir, ponderosa pine, and aspen forests as well as high elevation grassy meadows. A large fire in 1879 cleared old-growth forest, making room for the aspen forests and meadows present today. The area provides habitat for elk, deer, mountain lion, black bear and coyote. Creeks contain brook, brown, and rainbow trout, as well as beaver.

References

{{Protected areas of New Mexico Wilderness areas of New Mexico Carson National Forest Protected areas of Rio Arriba County, New Mexico Protected areas established in 1980 1980 establishments in New Mexico