Whitethorn Wilderness

Whitethorn Wilderness is a 9,616-acre protected wilderness in southern New Mexico, within Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument and at the western end of the West Potrillo Mountains. Managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, it was established as wilderness in 2019. The area takes its name from the plentiful whitethorn acacia growing there, which provides summer food for local desert mule deer. Its terrain and natural communities reflect the characteristic landscape and ecology of the Chihuahuan Desert.

New Mexico · United States